The Incirlik Base enigma... Ministry of National Defense and TRT speak differently

Following Iran's threats against US assets in the region and recent missile allegations, the Incirlik Air Base in Turkey has once again become the focus of public attention. In the shadow of these developments, the official statement regarding the base's status and past media reports are increasing confusion.

CLEAR MESSAGE FROM THE MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE: "INCIRLIK IS A TURKISH BASE"

In a statement regarding the matter, the Ministry of National Defense stated, "Incirlik is a Turkish base. All facilities on it belong to the Republic of Turkey. The base commander is our Turkish brigadier general. The presence of American soldiers there does not mean it is an American base."

At the same time, it was announced in recent weeks by NATO that two missiles, alleged to be of Iranian origin, were headed toward the Turkish border and were destroyed in the air. Iran denied the allegations, stating that no missiles were fired from its country.

TRT SPOKE DIFFERENTLY

Different views regarding the ownership and function of Incirlik Base have also been reflected in media outlets. Some reports previously published by the state-owned international broadcaster TRT World serve as an example of this debate. In an analysis titled "Why are US military bases in Turkey so important for Washington?" published on December 16, 2019, the strategic importance of US military bases in Turkey and the role of Incirlik in particular were discussed. The social media post for the report stated, "Since the US Senate considered the possibility of imposing sanctions on Turkey, Ankara's doubts about Washington's intention to be an ally committed to NATO have increased."

However, it is noteworthy that when one tries to access this and similar content today, the warning "The page you are looking for is not here" is encountered.

NUCLEAR ALLEGATIONS

In another report by TRT World dated December 24, 2020, an investigation launched by Turkey regarding an unmanned aerial vehicle at Incirlik Base was brought to the agenda, and it was emphasized that the base belonged to the US and housed nuclear weapons.

The report included the following statements: "Beyond regular military duties, Incirlik base demonstrates its strategic importance for Washington and NATO by housing at least 50 B61 nuclear bombs in its hangars. Since the Cold War, this base has been one of the unique places, along with Belgium, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands, that hosts US nuclear weapons."

Furthermore, it was reported that after the September 11, 2001 attacks, Incirlik was one of the centers for American military operations in Afghanistan, and since 2014, it has played a very important role in operations carried out against DAESH, particularly in Syria and Iraq.

News Source: 12punto