WASHINGTON
U.S. and Turkish officials met Friday to discuss cooperation between the two countries in the fight against ISIL militants.
Lisa Monaco, President Barack Obama’s assistant for Homeland Security and counterterrorism, met in Washington with Dr. Hakan Fidan, Chief of the Turkish National Intelligence Organization, according to a statement from Monaco’s office.
Their meeting took place as Gen. John Allen, the U.S. special envoy to the coalition, and his deputy, Ambassador Brett McGurk, were in Ankara to meet with Turkish Deputy Chief of Defense General Yasar Guler and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.
Talks in Ankara has produced an agreement by Turkey to support a train and equip program for moderate Syrian fighters as part of that country’s commitment to the U.S.-led coalition against the terror group.
Monaco’s meeting underscored the importance of accelerating Turkish assistance as part of the U.S. strategy to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL.
"Ms. Monaco emphasized the need to more quickly build the capacity of Iraqi security forces as well as the moderate Syrian opposition, and to take further steps to strengthen border security and disrupt the movement of foreign terrorist fighters to and from Syria," read the statement.
According to the statement, the two also reviewed the shared threat posed by al-Qaida veterans in Syria and agreed to continue to consult closely on security and intelligence matters going forward.
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