Saudi warplanes arrive at Turkey's ncirlik for ISIL fight

(MENAFN- The Journal Of Turkish Weekly) >Saudi warplanes arrived at the ncirlik Air Base in the southern province of Adana on Feb. 26 to help support the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) bringing the number of countries which have aircraft at the base as part of the ISIL fight to five.

Four F-15E Strike Eagle jets landed at the base one after another at around 1:30 p.m. in support of the U.S.-led coalition.

The F-15E jets resembleRussianSU-30 type aircraft that are currently deployed in Syria.

It has also been reported that Saudi warplanes would conduct patrol flights along the Turkey-Syria border in addition to the ISIL mission.

Speaking at a televised press conference President Recep Tayyip Erdoan’s aide and spokesperson brahim Kaln said they had opened ncirlik airbase in southern Turkey to the members of the anti-ISIL coalition in order to support combat activities adding that Saudi Arabian aircraft had begun to reach the country.

“As part of this combat Saudi Arabian aircraft started to arrive at ncirlik air base as of yesterday [Feb. 25] to strike Daesh [ISIL] targets by taking off from ncirlik air base and the rest will finalize in a few days” said Kaln on Feb. 26.

“This is one of the bold statements of our support to the international coalition in combatting Daesh and its presence there” he added.

Advance guards arrived at the base on Feb. 25.

Speaking at a televised press conference President Recep Tayyip Erdoan’s aide and spokesperson brahim Kaln said they had opened ncirlik airbase in southern Turkey to the members of the anti-ISIL coalition in order to support combat activities adding that Saudi Arabian aircraft had begun to reach the country.

“As part of this combat Saudi Arabian aircraft started to arrive at ncirlik air base as of yesterday [Feb. 25] to strike Daesh [ISIL] targets by taking off from ncirlik air base and the rest will finalize in a few days” said Kaln on Feb. 26.

“This is one of the bold statements of our support to the international coalition in combatting Daesh and its presence there” he added.

Saudi Defense Ministry Undersecretary Ahmed al-Asiri confirmed the landing state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Al-Asiri said Saudi Arabia and Turkey would not act alone but as part of a wider coalition against the terrorist group.

The Saudi government said earlier this month that it was willing to contribute to the fight against ISIL with troops on the ground under the umbrella of the U.S.-led coalition.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuolu also said on Feb. 25 that the aircraft were expected to arrive at the base soon.

“Now entries have been made for supplies and personnel. Inspections have been made. The aircraft are expected to come soon” Çavuolu said.

Saudi Defense Ministry Undersecretary Ahmed al-Asiri confirmed the landing state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Al-Asiri said Saudi Arabia and Turkey would not act alone but as part of a wider coalition against the terrorist group.

The Saudi government said earlier this month that it was willing to contribute to the fight against ISIL with troops on the ground under the umbrella of the U.S.-led coalition.

Saudi Arabia together with Israel is the country with the second most F-15 fighter jets in the world after the U.S.

The other four countries that have aircraft at the base are Britain the U.S. Germany and Qatar.