Vice President Mike Pence speaks at the annual March for Life rally in Washington. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas

ANKARA (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Mike Pence told Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim it was a “new day” in Turkish-U.S. relations in a phone call on Thursday to discuss cooperation in the fight against terrorism, Yildirim’s office said in a statement.

Pence also expressed his condolences for the death of Turkish soldiers fighting against Islamic State in the northern Syrian city of al-Bab, the Turkish statement said.

Russian air strikes accidentally killed three Turkish soldiers and wounded 11 others in Syria on Thursday, the Turkish military said earlier. Turkey is a NATO ally and member of the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State.