Turkey launches air strike on Al Qaida convoy in N. Syria

Special to WorldTribune.com

ANKARA — Turkey has conducted air strikes on Syria.

Officials said fighter-jets attacked Al Qaida-aligned targets in northern Syria.

Turkish F-4 Phantom fighter jet.  /EPA
Turkish F-4 Phantom fighter jet. /EPA

The officials cited a military strike on a convoy of Al Qaida’s Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

“A pickup, a truck and a bus in an ISIL convoy were destroyed,” the Turkish General Staff said on Jan. 29.

Officials said the late Jan. 28 attack was meant to retaliate for ISIL fire on the Turkish Army along the Syrian border. They also cited ISIL raids on ethnic Turkish communities in northern Syria, which sparked an exodus of thousands
to Turkey.

“Turkey has intensified deployment along the Syrian border,” an official said.

The Turkish attack came amid threats by ISIL to expand operations into the NATO state. Officials said the Turkish military and Gendarmerie have stationed troops and armored vehicles along a stretch of the 900-kilometer border with Syria.

In 2013, NATO raised concerns over Turkish support for Al Qaida-aligned
militias, including ISIL, in Syria. Israel has determined that Al Qaida
maintained three bases in Turkey.

You must be logged in to post a comment Login