US close to deal with Turkey over Islamic State mission
The United States and Turkey are closing in on a deal that will allow the US military and allied forces to use Turkish air bases in their campaign against Islamic State militants in Syria, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.
The newspaper, citing US and Turkish officials, said the agreement could include a safe zone along a portion of the Syrian border to protect refugees and certain opposition forces that would also "be off-limits" to aircraft from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government.
Allowing the United States and its allies to use Turkey's bases would allow the coalition forces another foothold from which to launch continued strikes against the militants.
