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Turkey to create IS free safe zones in Syria for refugees: FM

Xinhua, July 25, 2015 Adjust font size:

Turkey and the United States has agreed to clear northern Syria of the Islamic State (IS) militants to create "safe regions" there, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Saturday.

"Syrian refugees in Turkey and in neighboring countries will be able to settle in these safe regions," the minister said at a press conference, adding that Ankara and Washington have agreed on this issue.

Also on Saturday, local Hurriyet Daily News reported that members of Free Syrian Army, a rebel group, can also be deployed at the IS free zone, which will be 98 km long and 40 km wide.

Turkey prefers to call it IS-free zone instead of a "security or safe zone" because Washington refrained from giving the wrong message to the Syrian regime, Russia and Iran to show that the objective of this plan is not against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Turkish air forces and long-range artillery units will participate at the U.S aerial campaign whenever needed as the American aircraft will be able to use key Incirlik Airbase in Southern Adana province of Turkey.

In long term, Turkey plans to keep Syrian refugees in this zone, rather than giving shelter in Turkish territory.

At the moment, the U.S.-led anti-IS coalition has not used Turkey's Incirlik airbase, said the minister, despite a previous agreement that allows the alliance to use Turkish military airbases.

The Turkish war jets carried airstrikes at jihadist targets in northern Syria on early Friday, the first of such attacks in the neighboring country, after IS fighters killed a Turkish soldier opening fire from Syrian side of the border. Turkish land forces also hit some other IS positions late in the day.

The IS attacks came simultaneously with aerial campaign of Turkish military against outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) in northern Iraq on late Friday.

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Friday that his country's agreement with the United States in the struggle against the IS group has taken Ankara's concerns into account.

Ankara has long been urging Washington to declare safe havens and no-fly zone in northern Syria for protection of Syrian rebels. Enditem