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U.S. uses Incirlik to launch first airstrikes against IS in Syria: Turkish official

Xinhua, August 13, 2015 Adjust font size:

Coalition forces have started airstrikes against the Islamic State (IS) from Incirlik Air base in southern Turkey for the first time, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Thursday in a correction for the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's remarks.

"The U.S. has yet to hit Daesh (IS) through Turkey. So far airstrikes have been launched from other regional countries," the minister said in an interview to local HaberTurk earlier in the day, bringing contradiction to Pentagon's statement announcing the U.S. F-16 strikes were launched from Incirlik Air Base against the IS targets in Syria on Wednesday.

Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Tanju Bilgic later told reporters that Cavusoglu was talking about Turkish military planes.

"What our minister pointed out is that Turkish aircraft were not involved in Wednesday's operations," said Bilgic.

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

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