With joint military action planned between the US and Turkey to clear the Islamic State militants in an area of Syria just over the Turkish border, the Allies have already begun their airstrikes against the terrorists.
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Other rebel groups are against working with the U.S. and Turkey altogether because they do not believe in the mission.
The group did not mention the United States in its statement and only spoke about Turkey’s desire to set up an IS-free zone in northern Syria. “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”.
The U.S. doesn’t have to formally notify Turkey before carrying out strikes from the base in Syria, Capt. Davis said.
The six F-16s were dispatched from Aviano Air Base in Italy, along with 300 personnel, according to a statement from Incirlik.
The directive, which was published online on Monday, said the Nusra Front would refrain from fighting Isis in a swath of northern Syria in order to avoid indirectly aiding the US-led campaign against the terror group.
Their statement did not specifically say they would move into the area, but appealed for rebel groups to help the Turkish plan.
No one was hurt in the attack and the two assailants managed to escape, the private Dogan news agency reported.
In new violence overnight, a Turkish soldier was killed in a gun attack on a military post in Sirnak, also blamed on the PKK.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu last week said his country will open other bases for operations against Islamic State, the radical Sunni group that conquered parts of Iraq and Syria and declared a self-styled caliphate, or religious state.
A ceasefire in Turkey’s long-running conflict with the group disintegrated in July, when a suicide bombing blamed on IS killed 32 people in the predominantly Kurdish town of Suruc.
Late last month, the United States and Turkey announced their intention to provide air cover for rebels and jointly sweep Islamic State from a strip of land near the border.
Syria remains a bloody battlefield of numerous warring factions, with numerous warring parties fighting against Assad, IS, and oftentimes each other.
Rami Abdulrahman, who runs the Observatory, said insurgents now controlled around half of Sahl al-Ghab.
The vetting process is lengthy and is aimed at ensuring that the forces are willing and able to fight, are not considered insider threats and agree to focus the fight on Islamic State.
Islamic State militants on Tuesday released 22 Christians they had held captive since February, following mediation by tribal leaders, activists said.
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With Syria being in close proximity to Incirlik Air Base, future attacks are expected to be carried out with much greater haste.
