Roundup: Turkey warplanes bomb IS, PKK targets amid recent wave of terror attacks

Turkey launched air strikes late Friday night against camps of the Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) in northern Iraq and targets of Islamic State (IS) group in Syria, private NTV news channel reported.

Turkish F-16 fighters took off from airbases in the southeastern Diyarbakir province, and bombed the PKK camps in the regions of Zap, Basyan, Bare, Avasin and Metina on Qandil Mountain in northern Iraq, according to the report.

The report also said the Turkish warplanes, taking off from bases in Diyarbakir, had set off on a separate but simultaneous mission for a second wave of attacks against the IS late Friday, after a first set of attacks earlier in the day.

The late night air attacks were believed as a part of the response by the Turkish authorities to a series of attacks against police by the PKK recently.

On Friday, a police officer was abducted by suspected PKK members in Diyarbakir, local Today's Zaman reported.

The police officer Vedat Kaya was kidnapped while he was driving from Mardin province in southeastern Turkey to Mus province in eastern Turkey with his family by PKK members who were conducting "checks" on the road. The group asked the policeman to get off his car and held him after knowing that he is with the police force, said the report, adding that the group released his wife and his children.

Also on Friday night, two police officers were injured when they were attacked by a hand grenade in the Semdinli town of Hakkari province in southeastern Turkey, added the report.

The PKK has recently launched attacks on the Turkish police, shooting two police officers in the head at their home in SanlIurfa province in southeastern Turkey on Wednesday.

The group later claimed responsibility for the two deaths. In addition to the attack on the officers, the group also killed a soldier and injured another on Thursday in the province of Diyarbakir after ambushing them. A non-commissioned officer was killed by PKK militants in the province of Adiyaman on Monday as well.

ATTACKS ON IS & PKK

Over the past days, thousands of police officers kicked off the raids against the IS and the PKK members simultaneously in 13 provinces of Turkey after a wave of deadly terror acts in the country.

A total of 251 people were detained in the raids, said a written statement by prime minister's office on Friday.

A total of 30 detainees, out of 90 people in Istanbul are foreign origins, local CnnTurk news broadcaster reported.

The assault followed a series of IS suicide bomber attacks at the town of Suruc in the Sarnliurfa province of Turkey on Monday, which claimed 32 lives and wounded 104 others.

Turkish military aircraft bombed IS targets on the side of Syria near the southern Turkish province of Kilis early Friday morning, killing 35 IS members.

In the operation, three F-16 fighters took off from an air base in southeastern Turkey, bombed three IS targets on the Syrian territory for 13 minutes, and then flew back.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu pointed out to an agreement with the United States on the fight against the IS fighters, saying Ankara and Washington have reached a consensus which takes into account Turkey concerns.

The prime minister's remarks came in reply to a question if the United States agreed on Turkey's expectation to declare a safe region and no-fly zone in northern Syria which will protect the Syrian rebels.

Ankara and Washington would take "concrete steps" in the upcoming days in line with the agreement, Davutoglu said.

OPEN AIRBASE FOR ANTI-IS COALITION

Also on Friday, Turkey said in a statement that it has agreed to open its air bases, including the key Incirlik Airbase in southern Turkey, for the anti-IS coalition forces.

The Turkish government has given permission for the anti-IS coalition forces, including the United States and other regional countries, to deploy manned and unmanned aircraft in Turkey's military airbases, a written foreign ministry statement said.

Turkish air forces will also join in those military operations, added the statement.

Turkey has been making contribution to the anti-IS coalition operations within its national capacities, said the statement, citing a recent decision by the Turkish government to allow the U.S. armed drones to deploy in Turkey.

The agreement follows months of U.S. appeals to Turkey to play a full role in the coalition against IS, including opening its Incirlik Airbase for bombing raids against the militant group.

Reports said the recent deadly IS-backed suicide bombing in the Turkish border town has pushed Turkey to play a more direct and aggressive part in the fight against the extremist group. Enditem