The leading Turkish newspaper Hurriyet claims, from unnamed “Turkish sources”, that a recent agreement between Turkey and US includes the first, limited no-fly zone inside Syria.
On Thursday, the newspaper confirmed that Washington and Ankara had agreed, after months of negotiations, on the use of İncirlik Airbase in southern Turkey by the US-led coalition against the Islamic State. A July 8 agreement in principle was confirmed in a phone call between President Obama and Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday.
The arrangement had been held up in part because of the Turkish desire for a safe haven in northern Syria to protect against the Assad regime as well as the Islamic State.
The unnamed Turkish sources told Hurriyet that the US had finally consented this week to a 90-km (56-mile) line between Mare’ — near the frontline of fighting between rebels and the Islamic State — and Jarablus. The zone will be 40 to 50 km (25 to 31 miles) deep.
The warplanes of the US-led coalition will provide security over the land “when needed,” carrying out “attacking or exploration” flights. Jets belonging to Turkey will also be allowed to take similar flights “when needed”.
In addition, artillery support by the Turkish military is being considered.
The sources said that the priority for the mission is to prevent the Islamic State or the Islamist faction Jabhat al-Nusra from taking control of the area. However, they also said that regime warplanes will not be allowed to fly over the area.
The Turkish officials also said that, while the measures are not aimed at the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party, action will be possible if the PYD and its YPG militia threaten the Turkish border. The US will not take a direct stance against the PYD.
Hurriyet’s claims are in stark contrast to the line from President Obama’s envoy, General John Allen. He told a conference in Colorado on Thursday that the Turkish proposals for safe havens and a no-fly zone were “not on table any more” and “not part of Turkey discussions”.
Ankara has promoted the idea of safe havens since last autumn, at one point proposing an area from the Mediterranean to the Iraqi border. However, despite reports at the end of the 2014 that the US was close to accepting some version of the plan, Washington has not been forthcoming in its public statements, preferring to concentrate on the aerial intervention against the Islamic State.
