WASHINGTON
Turkey’s response to the nearly 2 million refugees that have crossed its border from Syria and Daesh extremists is ‘above and beyond,’ the State Department said Monday.
“Turkey, in terms of combating ISIL and dealing with the inflow of Syria refugees, has been above and beyond what we might expect,” spokesman Mark Toner told reporters, adding that Turkey is “doing all it can” to combat Daesh.
The Turkish Air Force launched attacks late Friday on Daesh positions considered a threat to Turkey - the first such airstrikes as part of the U.S.-led anti-Daesh coalition.
Regarding Ankara’s ongoing campaign against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Toner said, “all of Turkey's strikes against PKK targets has been in response to PKK attacks on Turkish military personnel and police."
“We want to see the PKK stop its attacks. We want to see both sides refrain from violence, and we want to see a return to a solution process that ultimately ends in peace,” he added.
Military operations against the PKK – listed as a terrorist group by Turkey, the EU and U.S. – came after the group renewed attacks on Turkish security forces following the July 20 Suruc bombing that killed dozens of people.
