Great Satan US provides air cover for Turkey’s operation against Daesh
The United States says it will provide air cover for what Turkey calls operation against Daesh in Syria, according to Reuters.
A senior US official announced the decision on Wednesday, adding that Washington was “in synch” with its NATO partners on the plan.
Turkish special forces entered the Syrian city of Jarablus in the northern province of Aleppo, at around 4 a.m. local time (0100 GMT) on Wednesday.
They entered Syria through the Turkish border while firing artillery rounds into Jarablus, which is some 398 kilometers (248 miles) northeast of the capital, Damascus.
Reports say Turkish tanks have entered Syrian territory to conduct operations in Jarablus.
The Turkish air force and aircraft from a US-led military coalition have also pounded targets in and around the Syrian city.
The US official made the remarks in a briefing to reporters who were traveling on Vice President Joe Biden’s plane en route to Turkey.
Biden arrived in Turkey Wednesday to hold talks with the country’s officials. His travel is the highest-ranking visit by a Western official since Turkey’s July 15 failed coup.
At least 246 people were killed and more than 2,100 others sustained injuries when an army faction, using hijacked helicopters and tanks, clashed with government troops and people on the streets of Ankara and Istanbul on July 15 in an attempt to overthrow overthrow the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Turkey has accused US-based opposition cleric Fethullah Gulen of orchestrating the coup and asked Washington to extradite him. However, the US has refused to do so, saying it needs compelling evidence to prove Turkey’s claim.
