Turkey Vows ‘Safe Zone’ On Syrian Border; US Says No Deal

Under the strategy, moderate Syrian rebels, trained by the US Army, will fight the militant group on the ground and help coordinate air strikes by the US coalition, launched from Turkish air bases.

Sorties from Incirlik, located near the Syrian border, can reduce flight times to minutes from the hours required from other locations in the Persian Gulf region, according to a U.S. defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss operational considerations. Turkey has had a tumultuous relationship with its own ethnic Kurdish population, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan referring to Isis militants and Kurdish fighters as “terrorists” past year.

The United States launched its first manned airstrikes against Islamic State positions in Syria and Iraq from Incirlik Airbase in Turkey while a ceasefire organized by Iran and Turkey took effect between rebels and Syrian government forces and their ally Hezbollah.

The United States has previously used armed drones to conduct airstrikes from Incirlik and for months, had been requesting the use of the base to target the Islamic State.

U.S. officials say a cell within the Nusra Front has plotted attacks against Western interests, and U.S. warplanes have targeted the group as part of the larger campaign against IS.

Over the weekend, the US sent a contingent of six F-16s, and 300 American personnel to the base. And so when groups on the ground are fighting Daesh and they’re groups that we can work with, we will work with them.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu are to meet Thursday for what is seen a make-or-break meeting on forming a coalition.

The Turkish situation is especially touchy in political terms, in part because Turkey is a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ally with a different perspective on the Islamic State problem.

On Tuesday Islamic State said its fighters had attacked two buildings in Marea and killed almost 50 members of an “apostate” militia that opposes it.

Syrian militants first faced the Turkey air strikes in the month of July.

The Nusra Front said it would maintain frontlines with Islamic State in other areas including Hama province and the Qalamoun mountain range at the border with Lebanon. Turkish support for the rebels has been crucial throughout the conflict. “Beyond air operations, we continue our dialogue with Turkey to evaluate options on the most effective means of countering ISIL on its borders in a manner that promotes Turkey’s security and regional stability”.