No Syria safe zone in US-Turkish air campaign deal
WASHINGTON DC--Washington and Ankara have finalized a deal that would fully integrate Turkey into the coalition air campaign against the Islamic State (ISIS), US military officials announced Tuesday.
“[The agreement is] an important development in the fight against ISIL,” said Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook. “The United States and Turkey have finalized technical details for Turkey's full inclusion in the counter-ISIL coalition operations.”
Cook explained at a press briefing that the deal would bring the Turkish air force into “the coalition's air tasking order” and coordination on all air operations.
The new deal did not make any reference to a safe zone inside Syria, which Turkey has been pursuing for almost two years.
The US announcement came a day after Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that a deal had been reached between the two countries.
In recent months Washington has pressed Turkey to play a more active role in the war against ISIS by controlling its borders with Syria and increasing its bombing missions against the extremist group.
“With respect to Turkey, we do want Turkey to do more in the fight against ISIS,” said US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter last week.
“We need them also as a neighbor to this conflict zone as a long time NATO ally and a responsible member of anti ISIL coalition to control the border. The long border they have with both Syria and Iraq,” he added.
Kurdish leaders are concerned that Turkey is seeking a safe zone in Syria to undermine their gains against ISIS northeast of the country known as Rojava, but the US State Department dismissed such fears, saying there is no plan for a safe zone.
“We’re not talking about preparations or plans for a zone of any kind,” said State Dept. Spokesperson John Kirby. “What we said is where ISIL goes, the coalition’s going to go. And right now, they tend to be up in that stretch along the northern border of Syria, southern border of Turkey, roughly west of the Euphrates.”