Wikipedia's first sentence called it “cross-border military operation conducted by the turkish armed forces and turkey-aligned syrian opposition grou”. Today it says “offensive by the turkish armed forces and the turkish-backed free syrian army”.
Measured, not asserted. Every count, date and revision on this page was taken from Wikipedia's own history and checked against the live article. The words quoted are theirs.
Machine-checked against the full current article on 2026-08-03.
We saved snapshots of this article over twenty years; you are reading the 2020 one. Red dashes: removed from Wikipedia since.Pale dots: rewritten; the numbered note shows what it says now.Red text: written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot.1 tap a number or a side note to jump between them
The opening as it read in 2020
Operations chief commander ) Lt. Gen. İsmail Metin Temel ( Second Army commander ) Col.1Ahmed Othman ( Sultan Murad Division commander ) Fehim İsa ( Sultan Murad Division commander ) Mahir Basha ( Muntasar Billah Brigade commander ) Mustafa Cahit ( Muntasar Billah Brigade commander ) Mohammad Abu Ibrahim ( Levant Front field commander ) Mustafa Sejari ( Al-Moutasem Brigade political leader ) Abu Mohammed Kafr Zita ( Liberation Brigade commander ) Mahmoud Abu Hamza (Descendants of Saladin Brigade commander) Capt.2Mohammed Abu Mustafa ( Sham Legion commander ) Abu Jafer ( Brigade of Conquest commander ) ( Artillery base commander of Levant Front ) Yusuf Sibli ( Qabasin Military Council commander ) Brig.3 Operations were carried out in the region between the Euphrates river to the east and the rebel-held area around Azaz to the west. The Turkish military and Turkey-aligned Syrian rebel groups, some of which used the Free Syrian Army label, fought against the forces of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) as well as against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) from 24 August 2016. On 29 March 2017, the Turkish military officially announced that Operation Euphrates Shield was "successfully completed". The Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on the first day of the operation that it was aimed against both the Islamic State and the People's Protection Units .4The long-threatened capture of Manbij , under the de facto control of the Rojava administration, remains unfulfilled.5The Turkish occupation of northern Syria continues.6 "US to provide air cover for Turkish, Syrian forces in Jarabulus" . al-Masdar News . [1] U.S. halts military support for Turkey's fight in key Islamic State town [2] Russian jets strike Daesh targets in Syria's al-Bab for first time [3] Turkish military says Russian aircraft carried out air strikes in Syria's al-Bab area [4] Turkey, Russia continue joint airstrikes against ISIL near al-Bab "RAF air strikes in Iraq and Syria: January 2017" . [5] British jets strike ISIL in northern Syria in coordination with Turkey: Turkish military "YPG: We will not withdraw from west of the Euphrates" .7"YPG withdraws from Menbeij amid Turkish pressure" . al-Masdar News . "Photos: FSA & Islamists near Jarabulus find YPG ID cards, weapons" . al-Masdar News . Agencies, Daily Sabah with (7 March 2017).8 Turkish Special Forces: From stopping a coup to the frontline of the ISIL fight Hürriyet Daily News , 24 August 2016. Reuters. : CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( link ) "Korgeneral İsmail Metin Temel Cerablus'ta" . "Turkish-backed FSA rebels set their sights on last IS Aleppo stronghold after border victory" . "ÖSO komutanlarından Türkiye'ye teşekkür" . 25 August 2016. [8] Hundreds of police trained by Turkey start work in northern Syria [9] ÖSO Komutanı: El Bab bölgesinde ilerliyoruz, kente yaklaştık "Sultan Murat Tugayları: Önce Çobanbey ardından Menbiç'e ilerleyeceğiz" . 25 August 2016. [10] El Bab'da son dakika: DEAŞ'ın sözde emiri Ebu Ensari öldürüldü [11] ISIS Leader Dead?9 Islamic State Emirs Killed By Turkish Warplanes in Syria [12] Turkey 'neutralizes' ISIL's political leader in al-Bab "Kurdish-backed council says Turkey's intervention to make Syrian town "grave for Erdoğan troops" " . Komando Taburu'nu göndermeye hazırlanıyor "Turkey deploys elite commando units in Syria" .10 "AS IT HAPPENED: Turkish military, coalition forces launch 'Euphrates Shield' operation in Jarablus" . "Turkish-led forces capture first village in northern Syria" . al-Masdar News . 24 August 2016. The Long War Journal . "بيان تشكيل المجلس العسكري لمدينة أخترين و ريفها" . 3 September 2016. [14] Tal Rifaat formation of a Unified Military Council and Political office are formed "Cerablus'taki Durumu, Suriye Türkmen Meclisi Bşk. "New #FSA Turkish Group in #NorthernAleppo "Alb Arsalan Forces" Aiming to liberate Syria from #Assad & Iran & #ISIS & #Kurds" ( Tweet ) – via Twitter . Military Times . : CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( link ) "Kurdish-aligned group in north Syria says targeted by Turkish warplanes" . Wladimir van Wilgenburg; Jan Mohammed (28 August 2016). Rudaw Media Network . 1 September 2016 . "Kurdish forces capture village in northern Aleppo as the Turkish Army redeploys" . al-Masdar News . "La brigata degli italiani con i curdi verso Raqqa: "Ma a casa non sanno che qui combattiamo" ". la Repubblica (in Italian).11 "US Assistant Secretary of Defense tells Turkey only ISIS is a target, not Kurds – ARA News" . 16 January 2017. "[Breaking] Turkish tanks enter northern Aleppo" . al-Masdar News . The Christian Science Monitor . "Isis is preparing for an 'apocalyptic' battle to defend the village at the heart of its propaganda" . 3 October 2016 . "More than 1000 fighters of Jaysh al-Osra reach Dabiq; sheikhs at mosques declare "Dabiq epic is approaching" " . "FIRAT KALKANI HAREKATI'NDA 3522 TERÖRİST ETKİSİZ HALE GETİRİLDİ" [3522 terrorists have been neutralized in Euphrates Shield] (in Turkish). "Nearly 100 civilians dead in Turkey-backed Syria op: monitor" . 24 October 2016.
This is Wikipedia's own text, saved in our repository. Their copy of it is revision 965003640.
The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023 12 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Zekai Aksakallı ( Operations chief commander ) Lt. Gen. İsmail Metin Temel ( Second Army commander ) Col. Mohammed Abu Mustafa ( Sham Legion commander ) Abu Jafer ( Brigade of Conquest commander ) ( Artillery base commander of Levant Front ) Yusuf Sibli ( Qabasin Military Council commander ) Brig. Abdul Razaq Aslan ( Police force head ) Taha Atrach ( 1st Aleppo Division commander ) DOW Ali Şeyh Salih ( DOW ) ( Sultan Murad Division field commander ) Muhammad al-Gabi ( DOW ) ( Liberation Army commander ) KIA Abu Ansari † ( Emir of al-Bab ) Abu Hussein al-Tunusi † ( ISIL southern Raqqa field commander ) Abu Khalid Urduni † ( Amir of al-Bab ) Muhammad Ahmed ( Jarabulus Military Council commander ) Adnan Abu Amjad ( Manbij Military Council commander ) Units involved Orders of battle Strength 4,000–8,000 troops Unit Strengths 20–80 MBTs 20+ APCs Unknown number of T-155 Fırtına Howitzers Unknown number of T-122 Sakarya Rocket artillery Bayraktar Tactical UAS : 10,000–12,000 fighters 5,000–7,000+ militants Unknown Casualties and losses 71 killed 614 killed 2,647 killed, 417 captured ( per Turkey ) 131+ killed ( per SOHR and SDF ) 425 killed, 37 captured ( per Turkey ) 30+ killed, 22 captured 540+ civilians killed ( per SOHR ) Operation Euphrates Shield ( ) was a cross-border military operation conducted by the Turkish Armed Forces in the Syrian Civil War which led to the Turkish occupation of northern Syria . Operations were carried out in the region between the Euphrates river to the east and the rebel-held area around Azaz to the west. The Turkish military and Turkey-aligned Syrian rebel groups, some of which used the Free Syrian Army label, fought against the forces of the Islamic State (IS) as well as against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) from 24 August 2016. On 29 March 2017, the Turkish military officially announced that Operation Euphrates Shield was "successfully completed". 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".The objective to capture Manbij , under the de facto control of the AANES administration, that had been promulgated by the Turkish president at the end of February 2017 remained unfulfilled. "US to provide air cover for Turkish, Syrian forces in Jarabulus" . al-Masdar News . [1] U.S. halts military support for Turkey's fight in key Islamic State town [2] Russian jets strike Daesh targets in Syria's al-Bab for first time [3] Turkish military says Russian aircraft carried out air strikes in Syria's al-Bab area [4] Turkey, Russia continue joint airstrikes against ISIL near al-Bab "RAF air strikes in Iraq and Syria: January 2017" . "British jets strike ISIL in northern Syria in coordination with Turkey: Turkish military" . 19 January 2017. "Turkey ends 'Euphrates Shield' operation in Syria" . 29 March 2017. "YPG withdraws from Menbeij amid Turkish pressure" . al-Masdar News . "Photos: FSA & Islamists near Jarabulus find YPG ID cards, weapons" . al-Masdar News . Agencies, Daily Sabah with (7 March 2017). Turkish Special Forces: From stopping a coup to the frontline of the ISIL fight Hürriyet Daily News , 24 August 2016. Reuters . : CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( link ) "Korgeneral İsmail Metin Temel Cerablus'ta" . "Turkish-backed FSA rebels set their sights on last IS Aleppo stronghold after border victory" . "ÖSO komutanlarından Türkiye'ye teşekkür" . 25 August 2016. [6] Hundreds of police trained by Turkey start work in northern Syria "Sultan Murat Tugayları: Önce Çobanbey ardından Menbiç'e ilerleyeceğiz" . 25 August 2016. [7] El Bab'da son dakika: DEAŞ'ın sözde emiri Ebu Ensari öldürüldü [8] ISIS Leader Dead? Islamic State Emirs Killed By Turkish Warplanes in Syria [9] Turkey 'neutralizes' ISIL's political leader in al-Bab "Kurdish-backed council says Turkey's intervention to make Syrian town "grave for Erdoğan troops" " . "US Assistant Secretary of Defense tells Turkey only ISIS is a target, not Kurds – ARA News" . 16 January 2017. "AS IT HAPPENED: Turkish military, coalition forces launch 'Euphrates Shield' operation in Jarablus" . "[Breaking] Turkish tanks enter northern Aleppo" . al-Masdar News . "What we know about 'army unit' Turkey is setting up in northern Syria?" . 26 May 2017 . The Christian Science Monitor . "Isis is preparing for an 'apocalyptic' battle to defend the village at the heart of its propaganda" . "More than 1000 fighters of Jaysh al-Osra reach Dabiq; sheikhs at mosques declare "Dabiq epic is approaching" " . 14 October 2016. Hürriyet Daily News . 30 March 2017 . "FIRAT KALKANI HAREKATI'NDA 3522 TERÖRİST ETKİSİZ HALE GETİRİLDİ" [3522 terrorists have been neutralized in Euphrates Shield] (in Turkish). "Nearly 100 civilians dead in Turkey-backed Syria op: monitor" . 24 October 2016.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1171886377.
The opening as it stood in 2025 6 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Abdul Razaq Aslan (Police force head) Taha Atrach (1st Aleppo Division commander) DOW Ali Şeyh Salih ( DOW ) (Sultan Murad Division field commander) Muhammad al-Gabi ( DOW ) (Liberation Army commander) KIA Abu Ansari † (Emir of al-Bab) Abu Hussein al-Tunusi † (ISIL southern Raqqa field commander) Abu Khalid Urduni † (Amir of al-Bab) Muhammad Ahmed (Jarabulus Military Council commander) Adnan Abu Amjad (Manbij Military Council commander) Units involved Orders of battle Strength 4,000–8,000 troops Unit Strengths 20–80 MBTs 20+ APCs Unknown number of T-155 Fırtına Howitzers Unknown number of T-122 Sakarya Rocket artillery Bayraktar Tactical UAS : 10,000–12,000 fighters 5,000–7,000+ militants Unknown Casualties and losses 71 killed 614 killed 2,647 killed, 413 captured ( per Turkey ) 131+ killed ( per SOHR and SDF ) 425 killed, 37 captured ( per Turkey ) 30+ killed, 22 captured 540+ civilians killed ( per SOHR ) Operation Euphrates Shield ( Turkish : Fırat Kalkanı Harekâtı ) was an offensive by the Turkish Armed Forces and the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army , which led to the Turkish occupation of northern Syria . Operations were carried out in the region between the Euphrates river to the east and the rebel-held area around Azaz to the west. The Turkish military and Turkey-aligned Syrian rebel groups, some of which used the Free Syrian Army label, fought against the forces of the Islamic State (IS) as well as against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) from 24 August 2016. On 29 March 2017, the Turkish military officially announced that Operation Euphrates Shield was "successfully completed". 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". The objective to capture Manbij , under the de facto control of the AANES administration, that had been promulgated by the Turkish president at the end of February 2017 remained unfulfilled. "US to provide air cover for Turkish, Syrian forces in Jarabulus" . al-Masdar News . [1] U.S. halts military support for Turkey's fight in key Islamic State town [2] Russian jets strike Daesh targets in Syria's al-Bab for first time [3] Turkish military says Russian aircraft carried out air strikes in Syria's al-Bab area [4] Turkey, Russia continue joint airstrikes against ISIL near al-Bab "RAF air strikes in Iraq and Syria: January 2017" . "British jets strike ISIL in northern Syria in coordination with Turkey: Turkish military" . 19 January 2017. "Turkey ends 'Euphrates Shield' operation in Syria" . 29 March 2017. Turkish Special Forces: From stopping a coup to the frontline of the ISIL fight Hürriyet Daily News , 24 August 2016. Reuters . : CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ( link ) "Korgeneral İsmail Metin Temel Cerablus'ta" . "Turkish-backed FSA rebels set their sights on last IS Aleppo stronghold after border victory" . "ÖSO komutanlarından Türkiye'ye teşekkür" . 25 August 2016. [6] Hundreds of police trained by Turkey start work in northern Syria "Sultan Murat Tugayları: Önce Çobanbey ardından Menbiç'e ilerleyeceğiz" . 25 August 2016. [7] El Bab'da son dakika: DEAŞ'ın sözde emiri Ebu Ensari öldürüldü [8] ISIS Leader Dead? Islamic State Emirs Killed By Turkish Warplanes in Syria [9] Turkey 'neutralizes' ISIL's political leader in al-Bab "Kurdish-backed council says Turkey's intervention to make Syrian town "grave for Erdoğan troops" " . "US Assistant Secretary of Defense tells Turkey only ISIS is a target, not Kurds – ARA News" . 16 January 2017. "AS IT HAPPENED: Turkish military, coalition forces launch 'Euphrates Shield' operation in Jarablus" . "[Breaking] Turkish tanks enter northern Aleppo" . al-Masdar News . "What we know about 'army unit' Turkey is setting up in northern Syria?" . 26 May 2017 . The Christian Science Monitor . "Isis is preparing for an 'apocalyptic' battle to defend the village at the heart of its propaganda" . "More than 1000 fighters of Jaysh al-Osra reach Dabiq; sheikhs at mosques declare "Dabiq epic is approaching" " . 14 October 2016. Hürriyet Daily News . 30 March 2017 . "FIRAT KALKANI HAREKATI'NDA 3522 TERÖRİST ETKİSİZ HALE GETİRİLDİ" [3522 terrorists have been neutralized in Euphrates Shield] (in Turkish). "Nearly 100 civilians dead in Turkey-backed Syria op: monitor" . 24 October 2016.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1297365646. This is our newest snapshot; the live article may have moved again since.
Today
Wikipedia's first sentence called it “cross-border military operation conducted by the turkish armed forces and turkey-aligned syrian opposition grou”. Today it says “offensive by the turkish armed forces and the turkish-backed free syrian army”. Read the current article and compare.
2020
Oct '23
2025
terror
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militant
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Counts in the opening at each snapshot. Green: the word gained ground. Red: it was cut. Grey: no change.
What Wikipedia says this is
Every article opens by defining its subject. This one was redefined since 2020, and today's defining sentence is their current revision.
Then
cross-border military operation conducted by the turkish armed forces and turkey-aligned syrian opposition grou
Now
offensive by the turkish armed forces and the turkish-backed free syrian army
Struck red text is no longer in the article; dotted amber text was rewritten. Every revision id links to Wikipedia's copy; the text shown is our own saved copy. Data: /data. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA; quoted for the record; not affiliated with Wikipedia.
