Photographer
MURAD SEZER
Tuesday,
March 29, 2016
A U.S. Air Force Boeing C-17A Globemaster III large
transport aircraft flies over a minaret after taking off from Incirlik air base
in Adana, Turkey, in this August 12, 2015 file photo.
REUTERS/Murad Sezer/Files
WASHINGTON
The Obama
administration ordered the families of U.S. military, diplomatic and other
government personnel to leave parts of southern Turkey on Tuesday and warned
U.S. citizens against travel to the region amid mounting concerns over
security.
The U.S. military's
European Command said it had ordered the departure of families of personnel
stationed in Adana, including Incirlik air base, which is used heavily in the
fight against Islamic State militants. It said families of U.S. military
personnel also had been told to leave Izmir and Mugla provinces.
The decision was
authorized by U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter, a statement from European
Command said.
"We understand
this is disruptive to our military families, but we must keep them safe and
ensure the combat effectiveness of our forces to support our strong ally Turkey
in the fight against terrorism," General Philip M. Breedlove, commander of
the U.S. European Command, said in the statement.
The departures do not
indicate a decision to permanently end U.S. families' presence at military
facilities in southern Turkey, the statement said.
Related Coverage
Pentagon, U.S. State Department coordinated on Turkey decisions
- WASHINGTON
Decisions by the U.S. Departments of State and Defense to order family members of U.S. government workers to leave some parts of Turkey were coordinated, State Department spokesman John Kirby said on Tuesday.The State Department decision to issue a travel alert for Turkey was several weeks in the making, the official said, and was not related to this week's nuclear security summit in Washington that will be attended by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.(Reporting by Lesley Wroughton, writing by Arshad Mohammed, editing by G Crosse)
The U.S. State
Department said later it had ordered the departure of family members of
government workers at the U.S. Consulate in Adana, and that families of U.S.
government workers in Izmir and Mugla provinces were also asked to leave.
The State Department
issued a statement cautioning U.S. citizens more broadly against traveling to
southeastern Turkey.
It also warned of
"increased threats from terrorist groups throughout Turkey."
The U.S. moves come a
day after Secretary of State John Kerry met in Washington with Turkish Foreign
Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu to discuss bilateral issues, including efforts to
defeat Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq.
Turkish President
Tayyip Erdogan was due to visit Washington this week to attend a Nuclear
Security Summit with other world leaders.
(Reporting by
Washington newsroom; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
REUTERS
World | Tue Mar 29, 2016
2:50pm EDT
