Erdogan threatens to close 2 strategic US military bases
After Washington warned of sanctions over Ankara buying Russian Arms, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened to close two strategic military bases used by the United States in Turkey on Sunday.
While talking to the pro-government A Haber television channel, Erdogan said,
“If necessary, we can close Incirlik and we can close Kurecik.”
The two bases are on Turkey s southwest coast, near the border with Syria.
Erdogan has regularly raised this possibility in the past, at times of tension between the two countries.
According to details, the US air force uses the airbase at Incirlik for raids on positions held by the so-called Islamic State group in Syria. The other base in Kurecik houses a major NATO radar station.
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu raised the issue of the bases last week. Responding to the US threat of fresh sanctions, he warned that their closure could be “put on the table”.
Despite warning from Washington, Turkey buy the Russian S-400 missile defense system causing it to face sanctions from United States.
On Friday, Turkey summoned the US ambassador after the US Senate followed the lower house and voted to recognize the 1915 killings of Armenians as genocide. The bill has yet to be signed by President Donald Trump.
