Turkey’s invasion of northern Syria has ‘revived’ Islamic State, according to the Kurdish-led SDF group which has called on allied states to close off air space to Turkish war planes.

In a televised statement, senior SDF official Redur Xelil said the Syrian Democratic Forces were continuing to cooperate with the US-led coalition against Islamic State even as it must now also confront the Turkish attack on northern Syria.

‘The Turkish invasion is no longer threatening the revival of Daesh [Islamic State], rather it has revived it and activated its cells in Qamishli and Hasaka and all the other areas,’ Xelil said, noting car bomb attacks in each of the two cities.

‘We are still cooperating until now with the international coalition to fight Daesh. We are now fighting on two fronts: one front against the Turkish invasion and a front against Daesh,’ he said.

The Kurdish militia previously warned that the Turkish assault could allow the jihadist group to re-emerge as some of its followers were escaping from prisons.

In its first big attack since the assault began on Tuesday, Islamic State claimed responsibility for a deadly car bomb in Qamishli, the largest city in the Kurdish-held area.

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