Turkey builds military base along Syrian border

Turkish jets on the tarmac of Sazgin Airport (file photo)

Aug 13, 2012 presstv.com

Turkey has built a military-security base at Sazgin Airport along border with Syria whose Army is engaged in intense fighting with insurgents.

The base, 180 kilometers north of Syria’s biggest city of Aleppo, was inaugurated in Qazi Antep Province on Sunday, the Milli Gazette newspaper reported on Monday .

Besides aerial defense installations and radar equipment, a number of military transportation planes have also been installed in this base.

    Sazgin Airport is the same logistics base used for the transfer of troops, ammunitions and military equipment during the US invasion of Iraq.

Earlier this month, the Turkish army staged tank exercises near its border with Syria days after it reinforced its border troops with tanks, missile launchers and armored combat vehicles.

    Turkey is accused of supplying armed groups fighting against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad with military and communication equipment.

Turkey, along with Saudi Arabia and Qatar, has also set up a secret base near its border with Syria to send military supplies to anti-Syria groups.

Syria has been the scene of violence by armed groups since March 2011. The violence has claimed the lives of hundreds of people, including many security forces.