Your trusted source

Turkey agreed to allow the US-led coalition against the Islamic State (IS) to use its military bases to fight against the extremist group, RIA Novosti reported, citing Agence France-Presse.

US crews have long operated out of Incirlik Air Base in the south of Turkey, with some 1,500 airmen stationed there.

According to the agency, US aircraft attacking IS positions in Iraq are reportedly flying out of al-Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates, Ali al-Salem Air Base in Kuwait and al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

Previously, Turkey was unwilling to actively participate in the anti-IS coalition's operations, refusing to join the airstrikes that the coalition has been conducting since September.

Mass riots in the southeastern provinces of Turkey were taking place last week. The Kurdish population of Turkey was protesting against Ankara's policy of non-interference in the conflict in Syria where IS militants have been fighting against the Syrian government since 2012 and are currently besieging the city of Kobani.

In August, the United States conducted airstrikes against IS positions in Iraq. Washington extended its airstrikes against the militants into Syria in September, after US President Barack Obama announced his decision to form an international anti-IS coalition.