US wants to coordinate operations with Turkey against PKK

As details of the agreement between Ankara and Washington over operations against ISIS targets via Turkey's İncirlik Air Base are clarified, the U.S. has reportedly asked Turkey to coordinate Turkish Air Forces' operations against PKK camps in northern Iraq. According to the Sabah newspaper, the reason the U.S. wants to coordinate with Turkey in airstrikes is to arrange the air traffic.

Sources close to Sabah stated that Ankara remained aloof from the U.S. proposal, considering the course of the operations and confidentiality. Noting that to inform eachother about operations against ISIS is significant and compulsory, but to coordinate operations should be within reasonable bounds. "Such coordination is necessary. But what is important is to do it within credible bounds," added the sources.

In August, Turkey signed a deal with the U.S. to open İncirlik Air Base to the U.S.-led coalition to be used in the fight against ISIS. Reports have said that the U.S. plans to bring 30 fighter jets along with 300 troops to start hitting ISIS militant positions located only 200 kilometers away from the base. İncirlik is a key joint U.S. air base used by the Turkish Air Force located outside the city of Adana, some 150 kilometers from the Syrian border. Since November 2011, the U.S. air force has been flying unarmed drones from İncirlik Air Base. The U.S. will now be able to conduct airstrikes from the air base. Additionally, Ankara assured that it would enhance its fight against ISIS, including active participation in U.S.-led coalition operations, in the case of a security threat to the border.