| At several sources, and thanks to Rantburg citizens for pointing this out. |
U.S. troops at Turkey’s Incirlik air base were at the highest force protection level, known as "condition Delta," after the power was cut off at the base and the Turkish government closed the airspace around the site just hours after a foiled military coup attempt, a U.S. official told ABC News today.
Turkey allows the United States to use the air base for operations associated with its air campaign against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
There are 2,200 U.S. personnel in Turkey, including 1,500 stationed at Incirlik.
A Pentagon spokesman said the loss of commercial power to Incirlik has not affected operations because the U.S. facilities there are operating on internal power sources. U.S. officials are working with their Turkish counterparts to resume air operations at the air base. All U.S. government personnel in Turkey appear safe and secure, he added.
"Turkish government has closed its airspace to military aircraft, and as a result air operations at Incirlik Air Base have been halted at this time," Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook told ABC News. "In the meantime, U.S. Central Command is adjusting flight operations in the counter-ISIL campaign to minimize any effects on the campaign." |