Turkish jets join anti-ISIL coalition, hit targets in Syria

Turkish jets have joined the U.S.-led coalition in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and hit targets in Syria, the Foreign Ministry has announced.

"Our fighter aircraft, together with Coalition fighter aircraft, began carrying out joint air operations as of yesterday evening against DEASH targets in Syria that also present a threat to our national security," the Foreign Ministry said in a written statement on Aug. 29, using a variation of the Arabic acronym for ISIL.

Official sources said Turkey's jets joined air operations in Syria twice, once on Aug. 28 and again on Aug. 29. Two jets were involved in the operation on Aug. 28, in which three targets were hit, while two targets were hit during the operation on Aug. 29, in which two Turkish jets were involved. 

Sources said the Turkish jets took off from the ?ncirlik Air Base in the southern province of Adana and the targets were ISIL positions in the north of Aleppo.

The operations came days after ISIL's advance in an area in northern Syria that Ankara and Washington had intended to keep clear of the jihadist group and put under the control of moderate rebels. It marked the first time that Turkish jets entered Syrian airspace. 

The Foreign Ministry statement said Turkey considered countering terrorist organizations to be "a national security issue of priority."

"Turkey will continue with firm determination its active support for efforts toward eliminating the threats presented by DEASH, which Turkey put on its own list of terrorist organizations in 2013, both at the national level and as a part of the coalition," said the ministry.

Last month, Turkey had made a preliminary step toward joining the counter-offensive by...