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No anti-IS air strikes from Incirlik base in Turkey yet: Turkish FM

Xinhua, August 13, 2015 Adjust font size:

Coalition forces have yet to use Incirlik Airbase in southern Turkey for their airstrikes against the Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevult Cavusoglu said on Thursday, on the contrary to a Pentagon statement earlier.

"The U.S. has yet to hit Daesh (IS in Arabic) through Turkey. So far airstrikes have been launched from other regional countries," Cavusoglu said in an interview with local HaberTurk.

Coalition forces merely conducted "reconnaissance flights" from the key Incirlik airbase in Adana province in southern Turkey near the Syrian border, the minister added.

He said that the United States and Turkey would conduct joint operations against the IS militants in the upcoming days, and that Turkey does not plan to deploy ground forces in Syria to fight IS at the moment.

Pentagon spokeswoman Commander Elissa Smith, on the contrary, said on Wednesday that the United States had started flying manned counter-IS missions from Incirlik. The Pentagon announced that F-16 strikes were launched from Incirlik Air Base, but provided no details on the number or types of targets.

In July, Washington and Ankara agreed to allow the United States to deploy aircraft at Incirlik airbase in southern Adana province of Turkey. Several F-16 fighters jets, along with about 300 U.S. personnel, were deployed to the base last week.

The United States already started flying armed drones from Incirlik earlier in August. Endit