Turkey won’t send more troops to run Kabul airport: Defense chief
People arrive at the domestic terminal of the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, May 8, 2018. (AFP Photo)
Turkey will not deploy additional forces in Afghanistan as part of its offer to secure Kabul’s airport once the U.S. and NATO withdraw from the country, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Wednesday.
Turkey has offered to guard and run Hamid Karzai International Airport after NATO’s withdrawal and has been holding talks with the U.S. on logistic and financial support for the mission.
The mission could be a potential area of cooperation between Ankara and its allies amid strained ties, as the security of the airport is crucial for the operation of diplomatic missions out of Afghanistan after the withdrawal. Ankara has said it cannot carry out the mission without support.
Speaking to reporters in Parliament, Akar said Turkey had a military presence in Afghanistan working under NATO’s Resolute Support Mission to guard the airport for six years, adding that details of the plan were still being discussed.
“At the moment, we already have a presence there and it is out of the question for us to send any soldiers there in any way now,” Akar said, referring to some 500 Turkish troops taking part in the NATO mission, and added talks were still underway.
“When these efforts are concluded in the coming period, the necessary measures will be taken and it will become a plan,” he said, adding the issue would be discussed with a U.S. delegation in Ankara on Thursday.
Ties between Turkey and some NATO allies have been strained over a host of issues, ranging from Ankara’s purchase of the Russian missile system to policy differences in Syria, Libya and the Eastern Mediterranean.
Last week, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said President Joe Biden and President Tayyip Erdoğan agreed in a meeting at last week’s NATO summit that Turkey would take a lead role in securing Kabul airport after the NATO withdrawal.
Several top Afghan officials voiced strong support for Turkey running Kabul airport.
A Taliban spokesperson said this month Turkey should withdraw its troops from Afghanistan under the 2020 deal for the pullout of U.S. forces, but Washington and Ankara have said the plans will press on.
Source:dailysabah.com/