The Turkish government said it cooperated with the U.S. ahead of the operation in which Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed.
Ibrahim Kalin, spokesman for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, spoke of “intensive diplomacy” between the two NATO allies.
“Our military and intelligence units had contact with their U.S. colleagues and also coordinated,” he said.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also said that Turkey and the U.S. had exchanged information and ideas.
“Turkey and the U.S. worked together on the neutralisation of al-Baghdadi,” he said.
In September senior U.S. military officers claimed “impressive” progress in cooperation with NATO ally Turkey in northeast Syria.
But Erdogan warned of unilateral action against Washington’s critical Syrian ally if Turkish security demands were not met by the end of the month.
“I am constantly impressed by what the CJOC (Combined Joint Operation Centre) has achieved in such a short period of time.
“I would like to compliment our Turkish allies for their high levels of professionalism,” said Brig. Gen. Christian Wortman in a briefing to journalists.
CJOC is based in Turkey’s Sanliurfa province, which borders Syria.
The command centre was set up under an August agreement between U.S. and Turkish generals to create what Washington calls a “security mechanism,” and what Ankara refers to a “safe zone,” in northeast Syria.
dpa/NAN
