Ankara: US has thrown its weight behind its NATO ally Turkey as warplanes from Ankara launch air strikes in Syria aiming to bomb Islamic State and Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) targets
According to Turkish Press Office, US and Turkey will discuss to determine which military base to use to launch strikes on ISIS and PKK targets, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Saturday.
Turkey began air strikes on Friday after being rattled by a week of violence that it blamed on ISIS and PKK.
Turkey jets in cross-border operation against #Daesh, #PKK http://t.co/tupVkbmHQM pic.twitter.com/jkj4Kn6QjO
— Turkish Press Office (@trpressoffice) July 25, 2015
“It is not certain yet if US warplanes will be able to use the strategic Incirlik military base in southern Adana province to destroy Daesh (ISIS) positions”, Cavusoglu said in a press conference.
However, Turkey announced that the US-led anti-ISIS coalition could use Turkish bases to deploy its manned and unmanned aerial vehicles.
Turkey also carried out raids in eastern provinces to arrest suspected members of ISIS and PKK.
Turkish Police has launched new dawn raids in 10 provinces to arrest suspected members of the ISIS and PKK pic.twitter.com/EwCqGMLG64
— Turkish Press Office (@trpressoffice) July 25, 2015
Even though US has been counting on Kurdish rebels in Syria to take on ISIS, the White House has defended Turkish strikes on ISIS and PKK, saying Ankara has right to defend itself against terrorist strikes.
White House spokesman Alistair Baskey urged the PKK to renounce terrorism, but at the same time suggested Turkey to avoid violence to de-escalate the conflict.
It can be noted that US has designated the PKK as a terrorist group.
Turkey and PKK had signed a truce in 2013, however recent strikes seem to have thrown that ceasefire for a toss. PKK rebels say the conditions for observing the truce had been "eliminated".
