Turkish
prosecutors and police are conducting searches at Turkey’s Incirlik
air base in connection with the failed coup, Turkish media reported.
The base is used by both the Turkish and US air forces.
The
authorities entered the base in southern Turkey on Monday, state-run
Anadolu news agency reported, adding that the investigation is
connected with the coup attempt.
Over
the weekend, the airbase’s commander, General Bekir Ercan Van was
detained at Incirlik by Turkish authorities along with over a dozen
lower ranking officers. They all stand accused of complicity in the
attempted coup.
Authorities
have also reportedly claimed that at least one of the F-16 fighter
jets “hijacked” by the coup plotters was refueled by an aircraft
that had taken off from the Incirlik base.
The
air base, which is used by NATO and stores US tactical nuclear
weapons, has been recently used by Washington in its campaign against
Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) in neighboring Syria.
The
airbase was blocked by Turkish military authorities following the
failed coup attempt, leading to the cancellation of airstrikes on IS
targets.
The
electric power supply to the base has also been cut off, forcing the
US military to switch to its own internal power supply in order to
resume its anti-terrorist campaign in the region.
Source:
Related:
Comments
Post a Comment