The advance comes after Turkey launched an operation on August 24 created to drive IS away from the border and also prevent the advance of Kurdish fighters.
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“We will never allow an artificial state in Syria’s north”, he said, apparently referring to USA -backed Kurdish forces, who have taken a large swath of territory from IS along the border.
Turkey renewed air strikes on ISIS sites in Syria on Friday, extending operations along a 90-km (56-mile) corridor near the Turkish border which Ankara says it is clearing of jihadists and protecting from Kurdish militia expansion.
The loss of its territory along the Turkish border follows a series of recent defeats for Daesh, including its expulsion from the central Iraqi city of Fallujah and its defeat in the former stronghold of Manbij in northern Syria.
Some 20 villages were captured by Turkey-backed rebels in the offensive, which was backed by both Turkish tanks and warplanes.
“Obama wants to do some things together concerning Raqqa in particular”, Erdogan said in comments published by Hurriyet newspaper, following meetings in China with Obama, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other world leaders.
“We have grave differences with the Russians in terms of both the parties we support but also the process that is required to bring about peace in Syria”, he said. While Jarabulus is a big gain for this rebel bloc, the expectation from Turkey that they’ll hold this frontier could be more of a burden than they’re ready for.
Ankara fears that advances by the Kurdish YPG militia, which has been one of the most effective partners for the US coalition fighting IS, will embolden Kurdish militants on its own soil.
The visit came after the Turkish army had launched its military operation Euphrates Shield against ISIS and to stop Kurdish advancements, which left Washington in a tough position between its allies Ankara and Kurdistan.
Meanwhile, the recapture and return to siege of rebel-held parts of Aleppo dealt a major blow to rebels.
Syrian state media said the army and allied forces had taken an area south of Aleppo, severing the sole route left into the eastern neighbourhoods held by the opposition.
Three Turkish soldiers have been killed and four wounded during clashes with ISIL fighters in northern Syria, according to Turkey’s armed forces. However, that could sharpen tensions with the United States over Syria policy. Since 2013, when the group announced its formation, it has had territory bordering a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation state – Turkey.
The move comes a month after insurgent groups seized several military academies south of there and opened up a corridor into Aleppo. SANA said they discussed Syria’s war and ways of fighting terrorism.
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The development leaves about 250,000 people living in rebel-controlled parts of the city cut off from the outside world once again, and will raise new fears about a humanitarian crisis in Aleppo.
