Turkey strikes out at Islamic State at home, Syria

(Vatican Radio) Turkish fighter jets have bombed so-called Islamic State militants in Syria after a series of attacks blamed on the group within Turkey. 

Listen to this report by Tracey McClure:

Three IS targets, including command centers and a recruiting point were struck across the Turkish border province of Kilis. The Turkish planes reportedly did not violate Syrian airspace.

A government statement said the decision to make the strike was taken Thursday after IS militants fired from Syrian territory at a Turkish military outpost, killing one soldier.

The bombing followed a decision by Turkey this week to allow the U.S. military to use the Incirlik air base near the border with Syria to launch airstrikes against the Islamic State.

The agreement, which President Barack Obama and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed by phone Wednesday, follows months of negotiations over the use of Incirlik and other bases by the U.S.-led coalition and is considered a sensitive topic in Turkey.

Turkey's moves come as the country finds itself drawn further into the conflict by a series of deadly attacks and signs of increased IS activity inside the country.

Anti-terror police raided more than 100 suspected Islamic State and Kurdish militant group locations in Istanbul overnight.

Helicopters and special forces backed up 5,000 police officers carrying out the raids across 26 districts.