US and Turkey have ‘unyielding resolve to defeat Daesh’

US Secretary of State for Defence Ashton Carter yesterday thanked Turkish Defence Minister Fikri Isik for his country’s contribution to the fight against Daesh.

Speaking in London on the sidelines of a meeting of defence ministers whose countries are participating in the campaign to defeat the terrorist group, Carter thanked Turkey for its significant contributions to the counter Daesh, especially “Operation Euphrates Shield”, the Turkish military intervention in Syria.

Both leaders reaffirmed their unyielding resolve to defeat Daesh and discussed a range of practical cooperative efforts that will accelerate the fight, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said in a statement following the meeting.

Carter also strongly condemned the attack on Turkish police and citizens on 10 December by a militant offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and offered condolences on behalf of the Defence Department.

The defence secretary said the US continues to stand with Turkey to combat the PKK, Daesh and terrorism in all its forms, the press secretary said.

Carter and Isik agreed on the need for the two NATO allies to continue their full range of bilateral defence activities and to look for ways to further strengthen defence cooperation in the future.