Cairo: Saudi Arabia confirmed late on Saturday it sent aircraft to Nato-member Turkey’s Incirlik airbase for the fight against Daesh militants.
Brigadier General Ahmad Assiri, adviser in the office of Saudi Arabia’s minister of defence, told pan-Arab Al Arabiya television that the kingdom was committed to stepping up the fighting against Daesh and that the move was part of those efforts.
He also said that the current presence in the airbase was limited to aircraft and no ground troops had been sent.
“What is present now is aircraft that are part of the Saudi Arabian forces,” Assiri said in response to a question on whether ground troops were included.
Saudi Arabia has resumed its participation in air strikes against Daesh in recent weeks and US Defence Secretary Ash Carter on Thursday welcomed its commitment to expand its role.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told the Yeni Safak newspaper on Saturday that Saudi Arabia had carried out inspections at the airbase in preparation to sending aircraft.
