A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon from Aviano Air Base, Italy, deploys to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, in this U.S. Air Force handout picture August 9, 2015. REUTERS/U.S. AIR FORCE/AIRMAN 1ST CLASS DEANA HEITZMAN/HANDOUT
The United States launched its first manned air strikes against Islamic State targets from the Incirlik Air Base in Turkey on Wednesday, the U.S. military said.
The U.S.-led coalition had launched flying, unmanned missions against the militants earlier this month, the Combined Joint Task Force said in a statement.
Turkish fighter jets were not involved in the manned U.S. air strikes on Wednesday, Turkish security sources said.
Turkey agreed last month to open its strategically important bases to the U.S.-led coalition, a major policy change after years of reluctance to take a frontline role against the Islamist fighters pressing on its borders.
But Ankara has been reluctant to play a leading role in the fight against the militants, who control parts of neighboring Syria and Iraq, citing fears of a backlash.
In July, Turkey launched air strikes against the militants in Syria for the first time.
(Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Additional reporting by Johnny Hogg in Ankara; Editing by Peter Cooney and Sandra Maler)
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