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Turkish warplanes strike IS targets in Syria

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Turkish warplanes have struck so-called Islamic state group targets across the border in Syria, a day after the extremist group fired at a Turkish military outpost, killing a soldier.

The government statement says three F-16 jets took off from Diyarbakir airbase in south-east Turkey and used smart bombs to hit three IS targets across the Turkish border province of Kilis.

It said the decision for the operation was taken at a security meeting yesterday, held after IS militants fired from Syrian territory at a Turkish military outpost, killing a soldier.

State-run TRT television said the Turkish planes had not violated Syrian airspace.

Yesterday, five IS militants fired from Syrian territory at a Turkish military outpost, killing one soldier and prompting Turkish retaliation that killed at least one IS militant.

The operation also comes a day after United States officials said Turkey had agreed to allow the US access to a key Turkish air base for use against the extremist group.

Earlier in the week, a suicide bombing blamed on IS militants killed 32 people in south-eastern Turkey, near the Syrian border.

Turkish officials have raised concerns that the bombing was part of a campaign of retaliation for Turkey’s recent crackdown on IS operations in the country.

In the last six months, Turkish officials say, more than 500 people suspected of working with IS have been detained.

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