Turkey launches first coalition airstrikes against ISIS

Istanbul - Turkey launched its first air strikes as part of the US-led coalition against the Islamic State extremist group, the Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.

The air strikes took place on Friday in Syria, the ministry said. The jihadists have been moving against hardline rebel factions in the north of Syria.

Ankara has long supported rebel factions battling the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Turkey, a member of Nato, had launched air strikes against Islamic State in July, the ministry said, and has since been in talks with the United States about its co-operation with the coalition.

The agreement with the US took place after months of wavering and also included allowing Washington to use air bases inside Turkey for strikes against ISIS.