중동부유럽

Since early 2014, the IS forces had made territorial gains in Iraq and Syria and have had become a formidable force. In opposition to the IS, the United States(US) organized multi-national military coalition in August 2014, and the US-led coalition began a campaign of air-strikes against the IS in Iraq and Syria without involving any ground troops. The US had been persistent in urging Turkey to join the campaign against the IS, because of Turkey’s strategic location for a full-fledged attack. However, Turkey was reluctant in responding to the United States’ request, and instead, presented a precondition that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to be removed from power and then the no-fly zone will be established in northern Syria. Amid protracted civil war in Syria, Turkey began to perceive the IS and the PKK(Kurdistan Workers’ Party) as a real and a serious threat to the national security. As a result, Turkish F-16 fighter jets carried out air-strikes against the IS targets in Syria on July 24. With continuance, Turkish warplanes launched air strikes against the PKK in northern Iraq for the first time since the cease fire between the unlawful PKK and the government in March 2013. Just before thisair-strikes, Turkey granted the US to use Incirlik airbase after long negotiation