1st LD: Turkey joins anti-IS coalition air strikes for 1st time

Turkish fighters on Friday night took part in the U.S.-led coalition air strikes against targets of the Islamic State (IS) militant group for the first time, according to a written statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry on Saturday.

"Our warplanes have since last night started joint aerial campaign with the coalition war jets against Deash (IS) targets which pose threat to our country's security," said the statement.

The joint air strikes were conducted as part of a technical agreement between Turkey and the United States signed on Monday after months of talks.

In July, Turkey carried out first air strikes against IS targets in Syria, but two countries have waited for the deal to launch joint operations against the militant group.

In early August, the U.S. warplanes started to be allowed access to Turkey's key Incirlik airbase in southern Adana province for air campaign against the IS militants in Syria.

Turkey was once reluctant to take part in military operations against the IS, but negotiations between Ankara and Washington on the issue have accelerated since early 2015. Ankara increased measures on flow of IS militants through its border and detained dozens of IS militants in Turkey since early this year.

A suspected IS suicide bomber killed 34 people on July 20 in Suruc town of Sanliurfa province near Syrian border. It is believed that the incident has propelled Ankara to move against the extremist grouping. Endit