U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter, seen here at the Baghdad International Airport in April during a regional visit, on Wednesday said discussions are ongoing with Turkey over how an offensive will be carried out to defeat the Islamic State in its Syrian stronghold of Raqqa. He said Turkey could be included but the United States was moving forward with its own plan so far. Photo by Senior Master Sgt. Adrian Cadiz/DoD/UPI |
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FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo., Nov. 3 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter the United States was holding discussions with Turkey over how an offensive will be carried out to defeat the Islamic State in its Syrian stronghold of Raqqa.
Carter on Wednesday said President Barack Obama's administration intends to develop an offensive strategy for Raqqa that will establish a military force able to surround and eventually capture the city, which the Islamic State's considers its de-facto capital.
Carter said Turkey may be involved in the Raqqa offensive that will "go there soon with the force that is capable of doing that," but added that the United States was not waiting around.
"We'll continue to talk with Turkey about its role in the eventual seizure of Raqqa, but we're proceeding now with the operation according to our plan, and we're working with them in northern Syria," Carter said during a press conference in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.
Turkey has said the offensive against the Islamic State in Raqqa should begin after the Iraqi city of Mosul is freed from IS control, but Carter previously said the Obama administration expects the Raqqa offensive to occur concurrently with the battle for Mosul.
"We continue to talk to Turkey about that, and a possible role for Turkey in that further down the road," Carter said. "What we're doing with Turkey right now, which is extremely important, and it is worth mentioning is, we are working with Turkey in the region between Jarablus and the Mara Line, which helps secure the Turkish border there."
Carter said the alliance between Turkey and the United States is important -- citing the joint effort to free the city of Dabiq from IS control in October. The Syrian rebels that seized Dabiq were aided by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes and by Turkish tanks and artillery.
Ultimate success in Raqqa would require officials to "enable local people who can hold a city once it's taken."
"That's the way we did Manbij, that's the way we did Ramadi, Hit, Rubah, all of these cities, and that's the way we'll win the campaign," Carter said.
