Story highlights The official says the goal is to establish a zone free of ISIS along the Turkey-Syria border

Turkey is allowing the U.S. to use its air bases, the senior administration official says

There's no U.S. agreement to establish a no-fly zone in Turkey, the official says

(CNN) Ahead of a hastily called NATO meeting, a senior Obama administration official told CNN on Monday there is no agreement with Turkey to establish a no-fly zone in the country.

But, the official said, Turkey has granted the U.S. access to its air bases to push back ISIS militants, so essentially that arrangement creates "nearly the same effect" as a no-fly zone.

"What we are talking about with Turkey is cooperating to support partners on the ground in northern Syria who are countering ISIL," a second senior administration official said. "The goal is to establish an ISIL-free zone and ensure greater security and stability along Turkey's border with Syria."

ISIL -- the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant -- is sometimes used instead of the acronym ISIS.

Retired Lt. Col. Rick Francona, a CNN military analyst, said setting up operations in Turkey presents challenges. The area the U.S. is considering a "safe zone" is on the Turkish border that, he said, is "still controlled by ISIS."

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