The Islamic State group has claimed a rocket attack that killed three Turkish soldiers in Syria, its first deadly attack on Turkish forces since they crossed the border two weeks ago.
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US-led coalition aircraft provided air cover for Ankara-backed rebel fighters and Turkish armour for operations to free Jarablus but refused to do so for any action south of Jarablus.
Operation Euphrates Shield, which was launched on August 24, aims at improving security, supporting coalition forces, and eliminating the terrorism threat along Turkey’s border through FSA fighters backed by Turkish armor, artillery, and jets. “If they don’t retreat, Turkey will be determined and return Manbij to its owners”, said Yasin Aktay, a spokesman for Turkey’s ruling AK Party, referring to Arab and Turkmen communities who lived there before civil war broke out in 2011.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, his hand strengthened by Turkey’s incursion, said on Monday he had raised the issue of a “safe zone” again with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Barack Obama at the G20 summit in China.
The photographer said some 250 residents, including children, who had fled IS rule in Jarabulus for Turkey in the last months were returning back to their home today in a first wave of resettlement. “We said this would not be a problem from our perspective”.
On the sidelines of the G20 summit in China, Turkish President Erdogan told the press it “would not be a problem” to join the United States in its campaign to eradicate Islamic State terrorists firmly established in Raqqa, their Syrian stronghold.
Turkey is regarded as instrumental in the fight against ISIS, bordering Syria and acting as a major transit route for rebels and arms heading there.
Any Turkish role would be have to be determined in further talks, he said.
Bagci said Erdogan wants to send a message to the United States that Washington no longer needs the YPG to fight IS, as it claims.
“I said “our soldiers should come together and discuss, then what is necessary will be done”, Mr Erdogan added.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says his country is willing to work with the U.S. on a combined operation in Raqqa, the Islamic State group’s de facto capital in Syria.
“We do not have the chance to take a backward step”. The offensive has continued to successful seize land from Islamist control: Turkey and its rebel allies now control a 90 km stretch on the Syrian side of the border, and are pushing south.
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The volatile Turkish-Syrian border was cleared of IS forces on September 4.
