US defence chief Ash Carter seeks more Turkish help against Islamic State

And, he said, “We desire Turkish forces to join in the air as well as on the earth as suitable”.

“The single most important contribution that [Turkish] geography makes necessary is the control of their own border”, Carter said.

Carter was in Turkey Tuesday, saying he’s seeking new ways the U.S.-led coalition can reinforce its fight against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria. “We appreciate what they’re doing”.

On Monday, U.S. President Barack Obama said he was sending Carter to the Middle East to work with coalition partners “on securing more military contributions” to the fight against Daesh.

Carter did not provide specifics, but he is expected to talk with coalition representatives on the trip as well as by phone during this weeklong tour and in the coming days and weeks. After the visit to Iraq, Turkish officials said the two countries had agreed to redeploy Turkish troops from the Bashika camp, setting the stage for Monday’s partial troop withdrawal.

The Iraqi Council of Ministers, headed by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, discussed the ongoing crisis with Turkey and “reiterated its firm position that the neighboring Turkey must respond to the Iraqi request of full withdrawal of Turkish troops from Iraqi territory and respect its national sovereignty”, according to a statement issued by Abadi’s office.

At Incirlik, where the number of US personnel has increased to 1,300 from around 300 in July, Carter was due to speak to USA military officials and to hold a “town hall” meeting with family members of US troops.

After partially withdrawing its recently deployed troops from the Bashika military camp near the city of Mosul in northern Iraq to another base, Ankara has downplayed the crisis with Baghdad, but the Iraqi cabinet on Tuesday demanded that Turkey fully withdraw its troops from Iraqi territory.

Carter has asked allies for more contributions to the anti-Daesh campaign, which he said could include strike aircraft, intelligence flights, transport aircraft, border control and troop training.

He said the USA would particularly like to see the Gulf countries do more.

Atheel al-Nujaifi, former Mosul governor who established the Sunni militia camp where Turkish trainers and troops were stationed, confirmed that Turkey pulled out some troops.