The Syrian Civil War that started on 15 March 2011 from the onset affected the 911-kilometer border of Turkey. The increasing political vacuum has increased the activities of terrorist organizations in Syria and created an environment where even violence had a voice. Turkey’s South border had become home of terrorist groups like ISIL and PPU. This situation began to threaten Turkey's internal and external security. ISIS had begun to build cell houses in cities in the southeastern part of Anatolia and in highly populated cities such as Istanbul and Ankara, and were preparing for demonstrations from within. These cell houses were raided by the Police Special Operations teams, however they were not completely eradicated.
By 2016, terrorist organizations in Turkey had held 16 live bomb attacks. Among these attacks, police directorates stopped with bomb-laden vehicles. Some instances included attacking bus stops, and suicide bombing on the street. Many innocent people and police, especially children and babies, died as a result of these actions. People in the country started to worry. Countries, such as the US, began to warn their citizens to be careful in Turkey. On the Internet,
"Turkey, is it safe for a living?" was a common headline for an article. While Turkey was discredited of the image of a safe country, tourism began to fall. The last straw that broke the camel's back was the suicide bombing of a wedding in Gaziantep on 20 August 2016. 59 people lost their lives and more than 100 people were injured due to the suicide bomb exploded at the wedding. The Turkish Government had decided to solve the root of the incessant terrorist attacks that kills innocent lives by sending forces into Syria.
40 days after the July 15, 2016 coup in Turkey, Operation Euphrates Shield started. This operation would have repercussions in the world press and Turkish media.