Turkey bombs IS targets in Syria

Ankara, July 24: Turkish planes for the first time carried out air strikes on Islamic State (IS) terror group targets in Syria on Friday, a media report said. Three Turkish F-16 fighter jets took off from the 8th Main Jet Base in Diyarbakir province at 3.12 a.m. and hit two IS headquarters and one checkpoint in Syria with guided missiles, Turkish Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement. The operation was med after Yalcin ne, a non-commissioned military officer who was killed during Turkish army’s first gunfight with IS on the border in the province of Kilis on Thursday, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

The IS targets were located near Syria’s Havar village. The jets launched their missiles from Turkey, without entering the Syrian airspace. The decision was taken at a special security meeting in Ankara late Thursday, hours after the clash on the border.

“The state of the Republic of Turkey is decisive in taking any precaution to safeguard its tiol security,” the official statement confirming the airstrikes said on July 24, adding that the F-16s returned to their bases at 4.24 a.m. (IANS)