clear

Creating new perspectives since 2009

US jets back Turkish forces in Syria

January 4, 2017 at 3:19 pm

The US-led coalition provided air support for Turkey’s operations in the Syrian town of Al-Bab, the Daily Sabah quoted Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said yesterday.

Cook said that Turkish forces last week asked for support from the coalition as they were under attack by Daesh, adding: “Coalition jets provided air cover for Turkish troops. It was a visible support.”

However, he emphasised that coalition jets did not drop any bombs in the area.

“It was a show of force, rather than a strike,” said Cook.

The US-led coalition had previously refused to back Turkish forces and Syrian opposition groups to recapture the area in northern Syria.

The Pentagon statement is the first acknowledgement of support by the US-led anti-Daesh coalition to Turkey backed forces in Al-Bab. The US has been very reluctant to back Turkey militarily in the area due to conflict of interests with its partner on the ground, the PKK’s Syrian arm the YPG. Both the US and Turkey have designated the PKK as a terrorist group but not the YPG, which only Turkey designates a terrorist group.

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu complained last week about Washington’s reluctance to support Ankara in its fight against Daesh in northern Syria. Instead, Russian jets came in support.