( CNN ) The leader of U.S. military efforts to fight ISIS in Iraq says the terror group came within 25 kilometers ( 15.5 miles ) of the Baghdad airport . Offering what appeared to be previously unreported details , Gen. Martin Dempsey told ABC 's `` This Week '' that the United States had to risk bringing in low-flying attack helicopters to keep ISIS at bay . `` The tool that was immediately available was the Apache [ helicopter ] . The risk of operating in a hostile environment is there constantly , '' the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said . `` You 're not going to wait until they 're climbing over the wall , '' Dempsey said . `` Had [ ISIS forces ] overrun the Iraqi unit , it was a straight shot to the Baghdad airport . So , we 're not going to let that happen . '' CNN 's Barbara Starr reported October 7 the United States had used the Apache helicopters to push back ISIS forces advancing near Falluja . The aircraft can carry out precise airstrikes but do so at a lower altitude , risking a possible strike by surface-to-air missiles ISIS is known to possess . At the time , Starr reported the United States did not predict ISIS making a direct run for Baghdad . However , there had been general concern that ISIS elements are in the city and around the airport and have been in mortar range for months . Dempsey 's comments Sunday clarified for the first time that the Apache was used to protect the Baghdad airport from such an overt threat . The comments came in a wide-ranging interview with ABC '' s Martha Raddatz about U.S. efforts to destroy ISIS . Dempsey minced few words about the potential scope of U.S. and coalition involvement and the difficulty of targeting ISIS because of their adaptability . Dempsey created messaging headaches for the Obama administration weeks ago testifying before Congress that if he thought ground troops might be needed at some point , he would recommend it to the White House . President Barack Obama has repeatedly insisted he will not put U.S. forces on the ground and will instead work to advise and train coalition and Iraqi forces to fight ISIS . In Sunday 's interview , Dempsey conceded that having U.S. troops on the ground , in theory , would help Iraqi forces spot ISIS targets . But he still insisted the U.S. is not at that point . `` Yeah , there will be circumstances when the answer to that question will likely be yes . But I have n't encountered one right now , '' Dempsey said . `` I 'd actually use the example of you know Mosul will likely be the decisive battle in the ground campaign at some point in the future , '' Dempsey said . `` When they are ready to go back on the offensive , my instinct at this point is that that will require a different kind of advising and assisting because of the complexity of that fight . '' Meanwhile , coalition partners continue to look to the United States for more military might . Obama has long resisted calls for a no-fly zone over Syria . However , Turkish leaders have repeatedly pressed for one . `` We want to have a no-fly zone . We want to have a safe haven on our border , '' Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told CNN 's Christiane Amanpour in an interview that aired October 6 . `` Otherwise , all these burdens will continue to go on the shoulder of Turkey and other neighboring countries . '' Dempsey said that while a no-fly zone is not in the works at this point , it ca n't be ruled out . Coalition airstrikes continued over the weekend in Syria and Iraq . By some assessments , ISIS appeared poised for a victory in the disputed city of Kobani along the Turkish-Syrian border . World leaders have repeatedly warned that should ISIS take the city , residents there could be massacred . `` Whether there are still 5,000 people there or not is , is a matter of conjecture , '' Dempsey said . `` But I have no doubt that ISIL will conduct the same kind of horrific atrocities if they have the opportunity to do so . ''
ISIS Chairman Gen. Barack Obama says Joint Chiefs almost reached U.S. airport . Apache helicopters were used to protect the airport , he said . President Martin Dempsey has insisted he will not put U.S. forces on the ground .