Pentagon loses Turkish airspace access crucial in airstrikes against Isis
Incirlik airbase closed to military aircraft after failed coup attempt
US officials say they are working with Turkey to resume air operations
Incirlik airbase
A US air force transport plane flies over a mosque near Incirlik airbase in Turkey. Photograph: Burhan Ozbilici/AP
Spencer Ackerman in New York
@attackerman
Saturday 16 July 2016 14.24 EDT
Last modified on Sunday 17 July 2016 04.11 EDT
The coup attempt in Turkey has yielded its first tangible disruption to the war against Islamic State, as the Pentagon has temporarily lost access to the Turkish airfield it uses as its primary staging ground for its air campaign in Syria and Iraq.
Turkey's prime minister declares attempted coup is over
Read more
Although the Pentagon press secretary, Peter Cook, on Saturday portrayed the interruption as surmountable, there was no indication as to when the US would regain access to the Incirlik airbase in south-eastern Turkey, as a defiant Turkish elected government has begun arresting thousands of military officers and soldiers in reprisal for the failed coup.
Turkish airspace, including that over the Incirlik airbase, was closed to military aircraft – some of which flew above Ankara during the attempted takeover on Friday night.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/16/isis-airstrike-turkey-airspace-us-air-forceREAD MORE
