İncirlik base is a Turkish compound, defense ministry reminds

ANKARA

The İncirlik air base in southern Adana province is a Turkish military compound and belongs to the Turkish Air Forces, the Defense Ministry sources have said amid a debate that Ankara should lower the flag of the United States there as Washington designated the 1915 events as “genocide.”

The use of certain facilities at Incirlik Base has been carried out according to the Defense and Economic Cooperation Agreement signed between Turkey and the U.S. on March 29, 1980, the state-run Anadolu Agency quoted the Defense Ministry sources as saying.

Sources pointed out that the agreement includes the provision that the “Government of the Republic of Turkey allows the United States Government to participate in joint defense measures at Turkish Armed Forces facilities in İncirlik.”

İncirlik Base is one of the Turkish Armed Forces Air Force bases; it is a Turkish base, and all facilities on it belong to the Republic of Turkey, the sources said and added, “Our glorious flag is hoisted for 24 hours and never lowered.”

Its command is hierarchically connected to the Combat Air Force Command located in Eskişehir and later to the Air Force Command. The base command carries out its duty under the command of the base commander, said the ministry sources.

There are elements belonging to Spain, Qatar and Poland besides the U.S. at the 10th Tanker Base Command and that the “Operation Inherent Resolve” is also supported, according to the sources.