According to Turkish Prime Minister, Mevlüt Çavusoğlu, a ‘comprehensive battle’ against Islamic State fighters in Syria will be launched soon once the US aircrafts and drones arrive at Turkish air bases.
The two countries agreed on joining forces against the jihadi group in neighboring Syria. This has been culminated by Turkey authorizing US to use Incerlik and Diyarbakir air bases (for manned as well as unmanned flights) after years of reluctance.
The new deal, mostly seen as a ‘game changer’, is intended to oust ISIS from a strip of northern Syria extending about 80 km along the Turkish borders.
Recently, Washington has dispatched into Syria the first and probably only rebel group consisting of 60 fighters trained and armed by the US. However, the new force, dubbed Division 30, was attacked by Syria’s al-Qaeda, Jabhet Al-Nusra. Scores of the US-allied force were killed, detained; others just fled the base.