Turkey Allows France To Use Its Airspace To Attack IS

ANKARA — Turkey has granted permission to France to use its airspace for airstrikes against the Islamic State group, officials said.

Officials said the permission to use the Turkish airspace by French military aircraft came after Paris requested it.

"We have agreed to cooperate with France within the framework of the allied campaign against terrorism," one senior diplomat said.

France decided to join the US-led coalition campaign after IS terrorists killed 129 civilians in attacks in Paris on Nov. 13.

Earlier in the summer, Turkey allowed the US military to use its southern Anatolian air base, Incirlik, for airstrikes against IS in Syria.

The Turkish Air Force itself joined the campaign by bombing IS strongholds in neighboring Syria.

But US and Turkish airstrikes came to a halt after Turkish F-16 fighter jets shot down a Russian SU-24 along the Turkish-Syrian border Nov. 24, citing airspace violation.

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