The Pentagon says the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group has resumed sorties from the Incirlik Air Base in Turkey.
“After close coordination with our Turkish allies, they have reopened their airspace to military aircraft,” Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said in a statement.
“As a result, counter-ISIL coalition air operations at all air bases in Turkey have resumed,” he added, using an acronym for the IS group.
Incirlik, which is the main based used by the coalition for flights against the Islamic State, was shut on Friday night as an attempted coup got underway and Turkey shut down its airspace.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, center, attends the funeral of victims of the coup attempt in Istanbul on July 17, 2016. AFP PHOTO / ARIS MESSINIS)
Cook said Saturday the US had shifted its operations to other bases and was “working with the Turks to resume air operations there as soon as possible.”
Among those arrested at the base after the coup failed was Brigadier air force general Bekir Ercan Van along with 11 lower-ranking officers.
One police officer from the base was also arrested. All are suspected of “complicity” in the coup plot, an official said.
Officials have said the authorities suspect that Incirlik was used by rogue troops to refuel military aircraft “hijacked” by the coup plotters on Friday night.
— with AFP
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