As US continues refusing to recognize YPG as a terrorist organization and vows to continue its arms support for the group, Ankara is considering closing İncirlik airbase to US military
Following Wednesday's deadly attack on Ankara by the Syrian YPG terror organization that killed 28 people including 27 military officials, the Turkish authorities are mulling over closing the İncirlik airbase to the US-led coalition.
The strategic military base in the southern Anatolian province of Adana was opened in August last year for the use of a US-led coalition to fight against Daesh terrorism.
But the US and other members of the coalition did not show as much sincerity in their anti-Daesh fight as Turkey expected.
They did not take a comprehensive, strong stance against the terror group in Syria following the deadly terror attack near Ankara's main train station that killed over 100 people.
Moreover, Turkey repeatedly expressed its concern about the advance of the YPG terrorist group towards its border in northern Syria. Turkey called on Ankara's allies not to support the group and declared them a terrorist organization.
Despite the call from Ankara, the US and other members of the coalition either remain silent or openly support the terrorist group.
The US military has provided weapons to the group several times, which Ankara believes were delivered to PKK terrorists in northern Turkey.
Earlier this month a special representative of President Barack Obama visited Kobani and met with PYD leadership to express Washington's support for the group.
Relations between Ankara and Washington were further strained following the US authority's insistence to support YPG even after their latest attack in Ankara.
Şeref Malkoç, the key advisor of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Thursday that the airbase could be closed to the US military aircrafts.
His remarks came at a time when some media outlets from Turkey published the same call to Ankara.
The weekly magazine Gereçk Hayat called on the government in its latest publication with the editorial titled “close the İncirlik base.”
The magazine also claimed the PYD, the political wing of the YPG terrorist group, is controlled from the base.
It said Turkey should close the base to “allies” who use the military facilities to help the terrorists.
