[13] The Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on the first day of the operation that it was aimed against both the IS and Syrian Kurdish "terror groups that threaten our country in northern Syria".

For the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the Shahba region between the Euphrates River to the east and the Kurd Mountains to the west is the missing link to connect the cantons of the Federation of Northern Syria – Rojava.

According to an article published in The Independent, the Turkish objectives were to target ISIL, strike at the political and military power of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) and to consolidate its position in expectation of shifts towards more war or greater peace.

[65] In Ankara Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said "at 4 am this morning, operations started in the north of Syria against terror groups which constantly threaten our country".

On 9 May 2016, a plan was reportedly proposed by the US, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar to have the Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement form a "Northern Army" to gather more than 3,000 fighters for the operation.

[76] On 20 August 2016, a large number of rebels and a military convoy containing more than 50 vehicles loaded with heavy and medium weapons from al-Rai were transferred to the Turkish border with Jarabulus.

[86] A few hours after the offensive's beginning, Turkish Special Forces and the Sham Legion captured their first village, Tal Katlijah, after IS fighters retreated from it to reinforce Jarabulus.

In consequence, when Turkish-backed FSA units, among them the Sham Legion and Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement, forcibly attempted to enter the SDF-held village of Amarinah south of Jarabulus, they were met with resistance.

[111] Analysts concluded that the blackout measure had almost certainly been implemented to restrict online sharing of sensitive war plans, as the offensive in Syria got under way, using newly amended wartime internet "killswitch" legislation.

[115] After Jarabulus was largely secured, rebel commanders declared conflicting targets for the further offensive; whereas the Levant Front announced that the rebels would next attempt to take Al-Bab, the Al-Moutasem Brigade and the Sultan Murad Division stated that the Turkish-backed forces would proceed west to break the IS siege of Mare', while Turkish media reported that the offensive aimed at securing a strip of territory along the Turkish-Syrian border.

[119] Turkish backed-rebel forces then attacked and captured the SDF-held villages of Mazaalah and Yousif Bayk, while also attempting to advance against the strategic significant hilltop of Amarna.

[127] Taking advantage of the fighting between the SDF and the FSA, ISIL launched a massive counteroffensive and captured al-Rai, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

[125] Turkish-backed forces then began a major attack against the SDF positions, capturing Amarna and nearby Ain al-Bayda; rebel groups also stated to have taken the villages of Qusa, Balaban, Dabisa, Jeb el-Kussa, Suraysat, Umm Routha, Maghayer and Qiratah further south, though this could not be independently confirmed.

Erdoğan stated that the necessary help would be given to other refugees who wished to return to their homeland[138] and Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said the YPG was committing ethnic cleansing in areas which were opposed to them.

[154][155] Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım said that "operations will continue until all terrorist elements have been neutralised, until all threats to our borders, our lands and our citizens are completely over".

[170] On 4 September, Turkey declared that the Turkish-backed rebels had captured the last remaining IS held villages along the Turkish border, cutting off key supply lines used by the group to bring in foreign fighters, weapons and ammunition.

[177] Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey Nurettin Canikli stated that Syrian Kurdish fighters still hadn't completely withdrawn to the east of Euphrates river.

[181] Also on the same day Turkey's foreign minister repeated the call for a no-fly zone over northern Syria to boost security and allow more refugees to return home while enabling more local troops to be trained in their fight against IS fighters.

The military also stated that it carried out an air operation in Tal Ali, Tel al-Hawa and south Wuquf regions which destroyed 4 buildings being used as headquarters by the militants.

[187] On 15 September, Turkish Armed Forces said that it had so far destroyed 26 mines and 671 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted by IS in northern Syria as part of operation Euphrates Shield.

[200][201][better source needed] A late September piece in Al-Monitor assessed the campaign as follows: "IS has recaptured scores of Turkmen villages south of Jarablus from FSA militias.

[204] On 5 October, TFSA primarily driven by the Sultan Murad Division, took control of four more villages from IS and, with the Turkish Special Forces, entered the small and strategic town of Akhtarin, easing the way for the planned attack on Dabiq.

[208][209] One week later, following heavy clashes around the area, on 16 October, the FSA, headed by Sultan Murad Division, first took control of Sawran, Syria and continued towards Dabiq.

Soon after Sawran, full control in Dabiq was also taken and rebel forces went as south as Asunbul to secure the newly acquired area before proceeding to the next stage of the offensive targeting Qabasin and Bab.

[210] On 18 October, the Northern Thunder Brigade issued an ultimatum to the "PKK" and the Army of Revolutionaries, warning them to leave Tell Rifaat within 48 hours after which they will attack the town.

"[221] Prime Minister Binali Yildirim issued a statement whereby he assured the aggression "will not be left unanswered" promising the Turkish military's determination to "clear the area of terrorists is unaffected by the move.

[224] On 8 January 2017, the New York Times reported that momentum gained with the ouster of Daesh from Jarablus was stalled at al-Bab due to heavy resistance and an inexplicable lack of U.S. air support.

On 2 February 2017, Sky News reported that Turkish aircraft killed 51 IS fighters in the space of 24 hours in the areas of al Bab, Tadif, Kabbasin and Bzagah, the airstrikes targeted buildings and vehicles resulting in 85 IS positions destroyed.

[227] On 9 February 2017, a Russian air strike on a building accidentally killed 3 Turkish soldiers and wounded 11 more in a friendly fire incident near al-Bab, who were supporting the Syrian rebels in the battle for the city.

[243] The Russian General Staff's Sergey Rudosky as well as the United States Department of Defense confirmed on 3 March that the SDF had agreed to hand over villages to the west of Manbij to the Syrian government.