Turkish jets join US-led coalition in air strikes against IS
ANKARA,
Turkey: Turkey announced on Saturday that its fighter jets have carried
out their first air strikes as part of the US-led coalition against the
Islamic State group in Syria.
A foreign ministry statement
said the jets began attacking IS targets late Friday across the border
in Syria that were deemed to be threats to Turkey.
After months
of hesitance, Turkey agreed last month to take on a more active role in
the fight against IS. Turkish jets used smart bombs to attack IS
positions in Syria, without crossing into Syrian airspace and later
Turkey granted US jets access to a key air base close to the Syrian
border.
The Turkish attacks that began Friday were the first
launched as part of the US-led campaign and came after Turkish and US
officials announced they had reached a technical agreement concerning
their cooperation, which calls for Turkey to be fully integrated into
the coalition air campaign.
"Our fighter aircraft together with
warplanes belonging to the coalition began as of yesterday evening to
jointly carry out air operations against Daesh targets that constitute a
threat against the security of our country," the Foreign Ministry said,
using the Arabic acronym for IS. ``The fight against the terrorist
organization is a priority for Turkey."
The statement did not give more details on the targets.
On Thursday, IS militants seized five villages from rebel groups in
northern Syria as they advanced toward the strategic town of Marea near
the Turkish border. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and other
groups said IS carried out a suicide bombing on the outskirts of Marea
amid fierce fighting in the area.
The IS advance was in the
northern Aleppo province near where Turkey and the United States have
agreed to establish an IS-free safe zone.
ANKARA,
Turkey: Turkey announced on Saturday that its fighter jets have carried
out their first air strikes as part of the US-led coalition against the
Islamic State group in Syria.
A foreign ministry statement said the jets began attacking IS targets late Friday across the border in Syria that were deemed to be threats to Turkey.
After months of hesitance, Turkey agreed last month to take on a more active role in the fight against IS. Turkish jets used smart bombs to attack IS positions in Syria, without crossing into Syrian airspace and later Turkey granted US jets access to a key air base close to the Syrian border.
The Turkish attacks that began Friday were the first launched as part of the US-led campaign and came after Turkish and US officials announced they had reached a technical agreement concerning their cooperation, which calls for Turkey to be fully integrated into the coalition air campaign.
"Our fighter aircraft together with warplanes belonging to the coalition began as of yesterday evening to jointly carry out air operations against Daesh targets that constitute a threat against the security of our country," the Foreign Ministry said, using the Arabic acronym for IS. ``The fight against the terrorist organization is a priority for Turkey."
The statement did not give more details on the targets.
On Thursday, IS militants seized five villages from rebel groups in northern Syria as they advanced toward the strategic town of Marea near the Turkish border. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and other groups said IS carried out a suicide bombing on the outskirts of Marea amid fierce fighting in the area.
The IS advance was in the northern Aleppo province near where Turkey and the United States have agreed to establish an IS-free safe zone.
A foreign ministry statement said the jets began attacking IS targets late Friday across the border in Syria that were deemed to be threats to Turkey.
After months of hesitance, Turkey agreed last month to take on a more active role in the fight against IS. Turkish jets used smart bombs to attack IS positions in Syria, without crossing into Syrian airspace and later Turkey granted US jets access to a key air base close to the Syrian border.
The Turkish attacks that began Friday were the first launched as part of the US-led campaign and came after Turkish and US officials announced they had reached a technical agreement concerning their cooperation, which calls for Turkey to be fully integrated into the coalition air campaign.
"Our fighter aircraft together with warplanes belonging to the coalition began as of yesterday evening to jointly carry out air operations against Daesh targets that constitute a threat against the security of our country," the Foreign Ministry said, using the Arabic acronym for IS. ``The fight against the terrorist organization is a priority for Turkey."
The statement did not give more details on the targets.
On Thursday, IS militants seized five villages from rebel groups in northern Syria as they advanced toward the strategic town of Marea near the Turkish border. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and other groups said IS carried out a suicide bombing on the outskirts of Marea amid fierce fighting in the area.
The IS advance was in the northern Aleppo province near where Turkey and the United States have agreed to establish an IS-free safe zone.
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