US to send Patriots to Turkey

Incirlik Air Base, Turkey: US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta signed an order on Friday to send two Patriot missile batteries to Turkey with 400 American personnel to operate them, in a move by Nato members to bolster Turkey's defences against the threat of Syrian missiles.

The Patriot system is designed to intercept aircraft or missiles. Nato says the measure is purely defensive, but Russia, Syria and Iran have criticised the decision, saying it increases regional instability.