Davutoğlu: Turkey Likely to Send Ground Troops to Syria for Self-Defense

Ahmet Davutoğlu, the Prime Minister of Turkey, stated that the country is prepared to send ground troops to Syria if necessary to fight the Islamic State (ISIS). This comes after Islamist militants targeted a Turkish border town with rockets on Wednesday, May 4. According to Reuters, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also stated that the country would respond to missiles fired by ISIS, adding that if the jihadist group continues its attacks, it will suffer severe consequences. The Turkish government has previously defended sending ground troops to Syria, although it has always emphasized that such actions would not be taken unilaterally unless national security is at risk. In an interview with Al Jazeera on Tuesday evening, Davutoğlu said that United Nations Security Council resolutions provide Turkey with the 'legitimacy' to enter Syrian territory for self-defense and to combat ISIS and others. He added, 'If necessary, we will deploy ground forces. We are ready to act for our defense both inside and outside Turkey.' Hours after Davutoğlu's interview, two more rockets hit Kilis, a Turkish border town, resulting in no casualties. This year, 29 people have been killed in Kilis due to repeated shelling and rocket attacks. Erdoğan, speaking at a gathering of local officials, noted that Kilis has recently been targeted frequently and that several of its citizens have been killed. He assured that all these attacks have been responded to and will continue to be addressed in the future. He added, 'ISIS has suffered heavy losses in its operations against Kilis, and if it continues these attacks, it will face even harsher blows.' Erdoğan's remarks were broadcast live. Turkey is a NATO member and part of the international coalition led by the United States in the fight against ISIS in Syria and northern Iraq. Initially, Turkey showed little inclination to combat ISIS but has recently increased its actions in this regard. The governments of the United States and Turkey have been negotiating military plans for months to push ISIS fighters back from areas adjacent to Turkey's borders. Anadolu, the state news agency of Turkey, reported on Tuesday that the Turkish army has fired over 5,300 artillery shells against ISIS positions, destroying hideouts, bases, and artillery positions, resulting in the deaths of 370 of its fighters. The report added that during this period, Turkey conducted 167 airstrikes against ISIS positions, killing 492 fighters, with 32 of them killed near the Turkish military base in Bashiqah, located in northern Iraq. Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu criticized the ongoing activities of ISIS in Iraq and Syria despite nearly two years of international coalition actions involving 65 countries. Çavuşoğlu told reporters, 'ISIS must be cleared from the region. This is the most permanent solution.'