It is an apparent sign that Turkey is now willing to take a front-line role in the fight against ISIL militants.

Turkish warplanes have bombed militant targets inside Syria, following a firefight with ISIL near its border on Thursday. One militant and one soldier died.

Ankara has also dropped its earlier refusal to allow US warplanes to launch strikes from a Turkish base.

Turkey has been hesitant for months to get involved in the fight against ISIL.

But the country has been facing increasing violence along its border with Syria.

Thirty two people, mostly Kurds, died in a suspected ISIL suicide bombing in the town of Suruc this week.

In a tough response, hundreds of suspected militants have been arrested in raids in numerous cities across Turkey.

More than 250 people are reported to have been detained, including suspected ISIL and Kurdish militants.