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Turkey 'agrees to US air base use'
13 October 2014
Turkey has agreed to let the US use its military bases for operations in Iraq and Syria, US National Security Adviser Susan Rice says. Ms Rice said the US welcomed the new agreement, which included the training of moderate Syrian rebels. The US is leading air strikes against Islamic State militants, who have seized large parts of Iraq and Syria. Turkey shares a border with both countries, but has so far ruled out any ground operation of its own. Speaking to US broadcaster NBC, Ms Rice said Turkey had also agreed to let the US use Turkish bases and territory "to train moderate Syrian opposition forces". "That's the new commitment, and one that we very much welcome," she added.
BBC
Turkey, which has been stung by protests internally and criticism from around the globe for its refusal to assist anti-ISIS coalition forces and Kurdish fighters in the border town of Kobane, has now agreed to allow coalition forces the use of Turkish military bases within 100 miles of the Syria/Iraq borders and the huge air base at Incirlik off the Mediterranean coast. Turkey has also agreed to train 4,000 moderate fighters a year that have been vetted by Turkish intelligence.