Turkey Launches Airstrikes on 'Islamic State' Positions in Syria

While reports have emerged about Ankara allowing the U.S. to use a military base in Turkey to attack the group known as 'Islamic State', Turkey itself has also commenced airstrikes. According to a statement released by the Turkish Prime Minister's office, the attack was carried out by three Turkish F-16 fighter jets from the city of Diyarbakir in southeastern Turkey in the early hours of August 2. This operation comes a day after a relatively extensive border clash in which one Turkish soldier and one militant from the so-called 'Islamic State' were killed. Reports indicate that the decision to carry out airstrikes was made during a meeting attended by security officials and chaired by Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Thursday evening. The statement from Davutoglu's office noted, 'The Turkish government is determined to take necessary actions to protect its national security.' According to the report, a central extremist headquarters in the village of 'Hawar' in Syria has been destroyed. Simultaneously, reports from within Turkey indicate that police forces have arrested dozens of suspects linked to the self-proclaimed Islamic State and a group of individuals affiliated with the PKK and other armed groups in Istanbul. This operation involved 5,000 police forces and several helicopters. Last Monday, a suicide attack occurred in Turkey that resulted in the deaths of at least 32 people. Since then, the Turkish government has initiated new measures. Among the reports, it is noted that Turkey has finally allowed the United States to use the Incirlik airbase in southern Turkey for air operations against Islamists. In this context, Davutoglu denied allegations of Turkey's implicit cooperation with the 'Islamic State'.