Obama, Erdogan discuss securing Turkey-Syria border in phone call

WASHINGTON DC—US President Barack Obama spoke to his Turkish counterpart by phone on Wednesday, said a White House statement, to discuss cooperation between both countries in the war against the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) and securing the Turkey-Syria border.

“The president spoke today to Recep Tayyip Erdogan about deepening our cooperation in the fight against ISIL and common efforts to bring security and stability to Iraq and a political settlement to the conflict in Syria,” said the White House.

According to the statement, Obama and Erdogan agreed to increase efforts to “stem the flow of foreign fighters and secure Turkey's border with Syria.”

Obama’s phone call with the Turkish president came two days after a suicide bomber, believed to be an ISIS member, hit a gathering of young activists in the Kurdish city of Suruc (Pirsus) near the Syrian border, killing 30 and wounding more than 150 people.

The White House said that the US president condemned the Suruc bombing and extended his condolences to the victims’ families.