"The [US-led] coalition has now provided intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance support, what we call ISR, to our Turkish partners and to Turkish forces," Toner stated. "We are poised now to provide additional support as these operations continue."
US government officials, Toner continued, are consulting with their Turkish counterparts to discuss other ways to maximize the overall impact of Washington’s military support in the fight against Daesh in Syria.
The United States has also supported Turkish operations on the ground through airstrikes against Islamic State positions, Toner added.
The Turkish army launched Operation Euphrates Shield in August against Daesh militants in northern Syria, which President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said was designed to establish a safety zone for refugees and clear the region of terrorists. The Syrian government and Kurds have criticized Ankara for violating the country’s territorial integrity.
