Turkey supports plans to drive Islamic State out of its Syrian stronghold of Raqqa but US -backed Kurdish militia fighters should not be at the core of the operation, Turkish Defence Minister Fikri Isik said on Thursday.
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Erdogan said Turkey was now “much stronger, determined and more dynamic” than before the July 15 coup bid, which the authorities blame on the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen.
Held by DAESH since 2013, Jarablus was easily recaptured by the Free Syrian Army supported by Turkish tanks and aviation on the first day of Operation Euphrates Shield launched by Ankara on August 24 with the aim of clearing terrorist groups along its border with Syria.
Six Turkish soldiers have been killed so far in rocket attacks in Syria blamed on IS but Erdogan said that the Euphrates Shield would continue and “not one drop” of blood of Turkey’s forces would be spilt in vain.
Mr Canikli also said 110 Islamic State and Kurdish militia fighters had been killed since the operation began.
Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has reportedly commented that he is “deeply concerned” by the prospect of further Turkish advances into Syria.
Asked if there was any change in USA approach on the issue of PYD, Erdogan said: “At least, there s been no interference into Turkey”.
A USA official said that while the leaders agreed to remain focused on Islamic State, there was no specific discussion of a joint operation to seize Raqqa. We said this would not be a problem from our perspective, ” he said, stressing, “More discussions would follow”.
Syrian refugees who fled Daesh-held areas along the Turkish border will be able to go back to their homes after the terrorist organization is cleared in those areas, Defense Minister Fikri Işık said on Saturday.
In London, Carter assured the Turkish defence minister of continued US support for Turkey’s efforts to clear Islamic State from its borders.
The tank was hit during clashes in the Tel Al-Hawa region in northern Syria, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported, quoting the army statement.
According to AFAD, there are three million Syrian refugees in Turkey.
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Erdogan said he had agreed with President Barack Obama on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in China to do “what is necessary” to drive IS out of Raqa.
