ADANA – Thousands of Turkish troops, citizens and police ‘surrounded’ the Incirlik air base the country operates jointly with the United States — where a large stockpile of NATO nuclear weapons is held — ahead of a visit by a senior US official.
Reports out of Turkey suggest all entrances to the air base have been blocked by heavy vehicles and police personnel sent to secure its perimeter.
The unusual night-time move sparked rumors of a second coup attempt on Turkish social media, with concerned citizens rushing to the air base to join the blockade.
The move comes less than a week after a top US Army general was accused by Turkish media of ‘leading’ the uprising against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier this month.
The Incirlik air base, located in an urban neighborhood in the southern Turkey city of Adana, reopened following a meeting with “security officials.” Incirlik air base is used by US and NATO forces to launch air strikes and drone attacks on Syria and Iraq. The US stores an estimated 50 hydrogen nuclear bombs at the air base.
About 7,000 troops and police used armored cars and large trucks to block the gates earlier on Sunday following intelligence that raised suspicion another coup was being plotted following the failed July 15th coup, Ihlas News Agency reported.
