Turkish jets hit IS targets in Syria, Kurds in Iraq

Davutoglu said in a news conference Friday that a “certain amount of headway has been made” in negotiations with the United States regarding the two countries’ cooperation in the fight against the Islamic State. The deal provides the U.S. military with crucial access from Turkey into Syria and Iraq.

The latest action comes after Turkey launched its first airborne attack against the jihadist terror group inside Syria on Friday.

“We have always defended safe zones and no-fly zones in Syria”.

In Syria, IS fighting positions, tactical units and equipment were targeted by air strikes near Al Hasakah, Ar Raqqah, Dayr Az and Kobani, a statement from The Command Joint Task Force said.

Turkey until now had been reluctant to take part in U.S.-led coalition airstrikes against the Islamic State group.

On Friday, Erdogan said he had told U.S. President Barack Obama that the PKK, which he calls a separatist organisation, would be a focus for attacks.

Seven of the strikes were near the Iraqi city of Fallujah and hit bridges, a bomb-making facilities and other strategic targets. The group subsequently declared an Islamic caliphate on the territory it controls.

It described the bombings of the targets in northern Iraq as the “most serious military and political error” by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the ruling party.

Turkish police also launched a major operation Friday against extremist groups including the Islamic State, detaining more than 290 people in simultaneous raids in Istanbul and 12 provinces. Though the fighter planes completed their mission, Turkish officials did not rule out further airstrikes.

Early indications pointed to involvement by ISIS in the Suruc bombing, Davutoglu said, though an investigation hadn’t been completed. “The slightest movement threatening Turkey will be retaliated against in the strongest way possible”. He spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government regulations that bar civil servants from speaking to reporters without authorization.

He said the airstrikes killed nine IS fighters, wounded 12 others and destroyed at least one IS vehicle and a heavy machine gun.

The private Dogan news agency said as many as 35 ISIL militants were killed at one of the three targets. When asked about the accord, Davutoglu said an agreement that takes Turkey’s concerns into account had been reached, but did not elaborate.

Officials at both the State Department and the Pentagon said they were hesitant to talk about the pact until the Turkish government acknowledged it publicly.

AP Turkish police officers stand in attention on front of the coffins of police officers Feyyaz Yumusak and Okan Acar, during a funeral procession in Sanliurfa, southeastern Turkey.