Pentagon spokeswoman Carla Gleason told reporters the Combined Air Operations Center has removed Turkey from the anti-Daesh coalition's air tasking order, the means by which it coordinates the flights of partner nations operating in the theater, and halted Turkey's access to surveillance information, Turkish state-run Anadolu Agency reported.
"If you’re not on the air tasking order, it’s really hard to coordinate flights in that area," she added.
"We have shut down Turkish participation in the air. Right now we are controlling the airspace over northeast Syria," a senior state department official says. "We have no intention in the immediate near future to change that."
Following a phone call between US President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the White House said that Turkey would soon begin a military offensive and US forces would not be involved in the operation.
"Turkey will soon be moving forward with its long-planned operation into Northern Syria," a statement said.
"The United States Armed Forces will not support or be involved in the operation, and United States forces, having defeated the ISIS territorial 'Caliphate,' will no longer be in the immediate area," the statement added.
The White House added Turkey would now be responsible for all captured DAESH fighters who are currently being held in northern Syria.
ILKHA