Turkey signalled it may send troops into Syria or Iraq and let allies use Turkish bases to fight Islamic State (IS), as coalition jets launched air strikes on Wednesday on insurgents besieging a town on its southern border with Syria.

In reply to Egypt’s Monday statement that accused the Turkish president of lying and exaggerating, Turkey said that “none of these claims can be taken seriously or be accepted”, and announced its continued concern about human rights in Egypt.

Turkey yesterday deployed tanks and armored vehicles to reinforce its border with Syria amid escalating violence by the Islamic State group, as parliament was set to consider whether to authorize military action against the jihadists. The army moved tanks and armored vehicles to the border town of Mursitpinar, which lies …