İncirlik airbase belongs to Turkey: Defense Ministry

The İncirlik airbase in the southern province of Adana is a Turkish military base and its ownership, along with all the facilities on it, belongs to Turkey, Defense Ministry officials told state-run Anadolu Agency. The comments came as questions linger over the fate of the base, which is used by the U.S. Air Force for Mideast operations.

Wednesday April 28 2021 07:21 pm

Duvar English

The İncirlik airbase in Turkey's southern Adana province is a Turkish military base and its ownership belongs to the Turkish Republic, state-run Anadolu news agency cited Defense Ministry officials as saying on April 28.

“The İncirlik base is one of our Air Force bases belonging to the Turkish Armed Forces. It is a Turkish base, and its ownership, along with all the facilities on it, belongs to the Turkish Republic,” ministry officials reportedly said.

The use of certain facilities on the airbase is being carried out in line with the Defense and Economic Cooperation Agreement (DECA) which Turkey and the United signed on March 29, 1980, they said.

The Defense Ministry officials further noted that the Turkish Republic “allows the United States government to participate in joint defense measures at the Turkish Armed Forces facilities in İncirlik.”

The statements came as questions linger over the fate of the İncirlik base, which is used by the U.S. Air Force for Mideast operations.

The Turkey-U.S. relations are currently at a new low after U.S. President Joe Biden on April 24 recognized the Armenian genocide in a historic declaration. Turkey strongly condemned the statement, saying it will respond in the coming days and months.

In December, 2019, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan threatened to close down the İncirlik base in response to threats of U.S. sanctions and a separate U.S. Senate resolution that recognized the Armenian genocide.