Turkey Coordinating Operation in Syria's Al-Bab With Russia, US

Ankara is in coordination with Russia and the United States during a military operation near the Syrian city of Al-Bab, according to Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik.

ANKARA (Sputnik) — Ankara is doing its utmost to coordinate its activities with Russia and the United States during an operation near the Syrian city of Al-Bab, Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik said Friday.

"Regarding Al-Bab, we have ideas, just as Russia and the United States do. We are in coordination with them as much as possible, and are doing our utmost to solve these issues by talks," Isik said on Turkey's NTV television channel.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan earlier said that the opposition Free Syrian Army, which, under support of Turkey's Armed Forces, is pursuing an offensive against the Islamic State (ISIL or Daesh) terrorist group, aims to take Al-Bab to push Daesh militants further to Syria's south.