Turkish-backed Syrian rebels are seen in the Syrian border town of Jarablus as they are pictured from the Turkish town of Karkamis, in the southeastern Gaziantep province, Turkey, August 24, 2016. REUTERS/Umit Bektas

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has been encouraging Turkey to close its border with Syria, a White House spokesman said, commenting on Turkey’s first major U.S.-backed incursion into its southern neighbor launched on Wednesday.

“The United States has been encouraging the Turks for some time to take decisive action to close the Turkey-Syria border, particularly this portion of the border,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest said at a White House briefing.