Turkey says ?extensive? fight against Islamic State to start soon

1	ANKARA, Turkey?
2	An armed drone taking off from Turkey launched a strike on the Islamic State group on Wednesday, a U.S. official said, as Turkey?s foreign minister said American aircraft had begun to arrive at a Turkish base close to the border with Syria and an ?extensive? fight against the extremists would begin soon.
3	Also Wednesday, Syria?s foreign minister said Damascus would support efforts against Islamic State militants, as long as the fight is coordinated with the Syrian government.
4	Ending its reluctance, Turkey carried out air strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria late last month and agreed to allow U.S. warplanes to use Incirlik Air Base for operations, taking a more front-line role in the U.S.-led coalition?s fight against the extremists.
5	Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt.
6	Jeff Davis said a drone had launched an air strike from Turkey for the first time on Wednesday, but provided no further details.
7	He said the U.S. was planning to fly manned aircraft out of Turkey but that had not yet begun.
8	U.S. officials had said the first armed drone missions out of Turkey began last weekend, although they did not conduct air strikes at the time.
9	Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an ASEAN meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the battle against the Islamic State group from the Turkish air base would begin soon, but didn?t elaborate.
10	As part of the agreement reached with the United States, we have made great strides on the technicalities of Incirlik?s use, and the U.S. aircraft have started to arrive,? the state-run Anadolu Agency quoted him as telling reporters.
11	?Soon we will together start an extensive battle against Daesh.?
12	He was using the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State group.
13	The Turkish minister also told reporters that once the ?effective? fight has begun, the ground would become safer for moderate opposition forces fighting Islamic State.
14	Turkey on Wednesday named a new chief of military staff as it takes on a more active role in the fight against Islamic State.
15	Land Forces Commander Gen. Hulusi Akar was appointed to replace the current military chief who retires at the end of a three-day, annual High Military Council meeting, which decides on promotions, retirements and dismissals within Turkey?s armed forces.