U.S. launches first strike on Islamic State from TurkeyAugust 6, 2015 - 12:04 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The United States has begun conducting airstrikes over Syria from a base in southern Turkey, the Pentagon said Wednesday, Aug 5, opening a new front in the Obama administration’s air war against the Islamic State, the Washington Post reports. Capt. Jeff Davis, a Defense Department spokesman, told reporters at the Pentagon that a U.S. drone had hit an Islamic State target in Syria on Tuesday, August 4. He declined to say exactly where the strike took place or whether it was successful. Before this week, Ankara had only permitted the United States to fly surveillance missions from Incirlik, forcing it to rely largely on more distant bases¬ and cutting down on the time U.S. aircraft can spend over target areas. Davis said the Pentagon would place manned fighter jets at Incirlik in the near future. He said the new operations from Turkey would “put coalition aircraft significantly closer on the map to where these potential targets are.” In particular, the new combat flights will give the United States easier access to a “safe zone” the two countries are planning for northern Syria. The proposal aims to establish an area close to Syria’s border with Turkey that would be cleared of Islamic State fighters, the Washington Post says. Turkey has also allowed the United States to establish a training site there for the Pentagon’s program to build up a new Syrian force to fight the Islamic State. The program has suffered a host of setbacks, most recently the abduction this week of five U.S.-trained fighters by al Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate. Photo: ABC News Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel. Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. |