--- description: Ankara called time on Turkey's military campaign in northern Syria declaring the offensive had "concluded successfully." title: Turkey Ends 'Euphrates Shield' Operation in Northern Syria image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5540a51186fa991a/6988c0887cdbaca990d57a8f/gettyimages-644088620.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Turkey Says It Is Ending Military Operations in Northern Syria by [Joseph Hincks](/author/joseph-hincks/) ## Joseph Hincks Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 30, 2017 3:54 AM CUT  Members of Free Syrian Army celebrate in Syria's Al Bab, after taking control of the district from Daesh during "Operation Euphrates Shield", Aleppo, Syria on Feb. 23, 2017. Members of Free Syrian Army celebrate in Syria's Al Bab, after taking control of the district from Daesh during "Operation Euphrates Shield", Aleppo, Syria on Feb. 23, 2017.Anadolu Agency/Getty Images by [Joseph Hincks](/author/joseph-hincks/) ## Joseph Hincks Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Mar 30, 2017 3:54 AM CUT Ankara called time on Turkey’s military campaign in northern Syria on Wednesday, with the country’s national security council declaring the offensive had “concluded successfully.” However, it is unclear whether that conclusion entails a complete end to military operations or a withdrawal of Turkish troops from the country, AFP [reports](https://sg.news.yahoo.com/turkey-ends-military-operation-inside-northern-syria-officials-201229785.html "undefined"). Speaking on Turkey’s private NTV television, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim did not rule out further offensives: “Euphrates Shield is over. A potential operation from now if needed will take another name,” Yildirim said, using the name accorded to the year and a half long military campaign. “From now on if there is anything that threatens our security, either Daesh or any other \[group\] and if we take another action, that will be a new operation,” he added. Daesh is an alternative name for the Islamic State (ISIS). Turkey’s operation [Euphrates Shield](http://time.com/4483236/syria-war-peace-talks-turkey-rebels/ "undefined") targeted both ISIS militants and Syrian Kurdish militia fighters that Ankara deems terrorists. The operation has resulted in the expunging of militants from Syrian towns including Jarabulus, Al-Rai, Dabiq — which is of [symbolic](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-30083303 "undefined") importance to ISIS — and the strategic town of Al-Bab, where Turkey endured heavy casualties. \[[_AFP_](https://sg.news.yahoo.com/turkey-ends-military-operation-inside-northern-syria-officials-201229785.html "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4717799/turkey-euphrates-shield-operation-syria/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4717799/turkey-euphrates-shield-operation-syria/"},"headline":"Turkey Says It Is Ending Military Operations in Northern Syria","datePublished":"2017-03-30T03:54:31.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T04:06:23.868Z","description":"Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim did not rule out further offensives","url":"https://time.com/4717799/turkey-euphrates-shield-operation-syria/","keywords":["Syria","Turkey","onetime"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5540a51186fa991a/6988c0887cdbaca990d57a8f/gettyimages-644088620.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Joseph Hincks","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/joseph-hincks/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt5540a51186fa991a/6988c0887cdbaca990d57a8f/gettyimages-644088620.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Syrian town of Al-Bab falls to Free Syrian Army, backed by Turkish military","caption":"Syrian town of Al-Bab falls to Free Syrian Army, backed by Turkish military","creditText":"Anadolu Agency/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4717799/turkey-euphrates-shield-operation-syria/","name":"Turkey Says It Is Ending Military Operations in Northern Syria"}}]}] ```