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| Turkey bombs Islamic State targets in Syria | Turkey bombs Islamic State targets in Syria |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Turkish planes have for the first time carried out air strikes against Islamic State (IS) group targets in Syria. | Turkish planes have for the first time carried out air strikes against Islamic State (IS) group targets in Syria. |
| Police also launched raids against IS and Kurdish militants across the country, arresting 297 people, the Prime Minister's office said. | |
| On Thursday, Turkish forces exchanged fire with IS fighters near the Syrian border. One Turkish soldier was killed. | On Thursday, Turkish forces exchanged fire with IS fighters near the Syrian border. One Turkish soldier was killed. |
| Turkey will now let the US launch air strikes against IS from the Incirlik air base, US officials have said. | Turkey will now let the US launch air strikes against IS from the Incirlik air base, US officials have said. |
| The raids in Istanbul, where 140 properties were searched, involved 5,000 officers. | The raids in Istanbul, where 140 properties were searched, involved 5,000 officers. |
| Members of the youth wing of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and of a far-left group, the Marxist Revolutionary People's Liberation Party Front (DHKP-C), were also arrested. | Members of the youth wing of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and of a far-left group, the Marxist Revolutionary People's Liberation Party Front (DHKP-C), were also arrested. |
| The state-run Anadolu news agency said there were also arrests in the cities of Ankara and Izmir and in Sanliurfa province, near the Syrian border. | The state-run Anadolu news agency said there were also arrests in the cities of Ankara and Izmir and in Sanliurfa province, near the Syrian border. |
| The arrests come after the PKK's military wing said it killed two Turkish police officers on Wednesday. The group claims the men collaborated with IS in the bombing of a Kurdish activists' group on Monday that killed 32 people. | The arrests come after the PKK's military wing said it killed two Turkish police officers on Wednesday. The group claims the men collaborated with IS in the bombing of a Kurdish activists' group on Monday that killed 32 people. |
| Border town attacked | Border town attacked |
| Separately, Turkey said that F-16 jets had hit three IS targets in Syria. | Separately, Turkey said that F-16 jets had hit three IS targets in Syria. |
| It is the first time Turkey has confirmed air strikes against targets in Syria since IS began its advance through Iraq and Syria in 2013. | It is the first time Turkey has confirmed air strikes against targets in Syria since IS began its advance through Iraq and Syria in 2013. |
| Turkish state TV said that the jets had not violated Syrian air space as they attacked the border town of Havar, next to the Turkish town of Kilis. | Turkish state TV said that the jets had not violated Syrian air space as they attacked the border town of Havar, next to the Turkish town of Kilis. |
| The US is expected to step up bombing raids against IS after reaching an agreement with Turkey to use the Incirlik airbase. | The US is expected to step up bombing raids against IS after reaching an agreement with Turkey to use the Incirlik airbase. |
| The agreement was finalised in a phone call between President Barack Obama and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday. It was confirmed by US officials speaking on condition of anonymity. | The agreement was finalised in a phone call between President Barack Obama and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday. It was confirmed by US officials speaking on condition of anonymity. |
| Analysis - Jim Muir, BBC News, Istanbul | Analysis - Jim Muir, BBC News, Istanbul |
| Having tried somehow to keep the conflict in Syria at arm's length despite its support for Syrian Islamist opposition groups, the proximity of the conflict and the influx of nearly two million refugees, Turkey seems now to be being drawn slowly and reluctantly into more active engagement. | Having tried somehow to keep the conflict in Syria at arm's length despite its support for Syrian Islamist opposition groups, the proximity of the conflict and the influx of nearly two million refugees, Turkey seems now to be being drawn slowly and reluctantly into more active engagement. |
| Despite its status as a Nato ally, Ankara had refrained from allowing US and other coalition jets to use the big airbase at Incirlik in southern Turkey for air strikes against IS in Syria and Iraq. | Despite its status as a Nato ally, Ankara had refrained from allowing US and other coalition jets to use the big airbase at Incirlik in southern Turkey for air strikes against IS in Syria and Iraq. |
| Now, after months of prickly negotiations and mounting western pressure, it has relented. | Now, after months of prickly negotiations and mounting western pressure, it has relented. |
| But it's not just a border issue. IS militants have penetrated deep into Turkish society. | But it's not just a border issue. IS militants have penetrated deep into Turkish society. |
| Security forces have been raiding suspected IS hideouts throughout the country, but are also after Kurdish PKK militants and radical leftists, underlining the complexity of the challenges facing the country. | Security forces have been raiding suspected IS hideouts throughout the country, but are also after Kurdish PKK militants and radical leftists, underlining the complexity of the challenges facing the country. |
| The BBC's defence and diplomatic correspondent, Jonathan Marcus, said the move gave the US a base much closer to IS targets in Syria and could enable a major change in the US air campaign. | The BBC's defence and diplomatic correspondent, Jonathan Marcus, said the move gave the US a base much closer to IS targets in Syria and could enable a major change in the US air campaign. |
| The Turkish government has faced criticism at home and abroad for not doing enough against IS, despite being part of the international coalition fighting it. | The Turkish government has faced criticism at home and abroad for not doing enough against IS, despite being part of the international coalition fighting it. |
| The air raids on Syria come after a bloody few days on the Turkish side of the Syrian border. | The air raids on Syria come after a bloody few days on the Turkish side of the Syrian border. |
| A return to Incirlik | A return to Incirlik |
| The US military is more than familiar with the southern Turkish base, and its recent history is tied closely with recent US military operations. | The US military is more than familiar with the southern Turkish base, and its recent history is tied closely with recent US military operations. |
| What is your reaction to the Syrian air strikes and the raids in Turkey? Are you nearby? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your story. | What is your reaction to the Syrian air strikes and the raids in Turkey? Are you nearby? You can email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your story. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |