Turkey Denies Moving S-400 to Incirlik Base

Russian service members sit in the cabins of S-400 missile air defense systems in Moscow (File Photo: Reuters)
Russian service members sit in the cabins of S-400 missile air defense systems in Moscow (File Photo: Reuters)
TT
20

Turkey Denies Moving S-400 to Incirlik Base

Russian service members sit in the cabins of S-400 missile air defense systems in Moscow (File Photo: Reuters)
Russian service members sit in the cabins of S-400 missile air defense systems in Moscow (File Photo: Reuters)

Turkey has denied reports that the S-400 missile defense system was moved to Incirlik Air Base in southern Turkey.

"The claims on social media that the S-400s were taken to Incirlik are not true," a statement from the Defense Ministry said Thursday.

The Incirlik base, which is under NATO supervision, hosts US nuclear warheads. Washington uses the base under an agreement with Turkey approved by its parliament.

The allegations of transferring the batteries of the Russian system to the base came after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met his US counterpart Joe Biden on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Rome last Sunday.

Turkey refused to get rid of the Russian missiles, as demanded by Washington, which fears that they could be used to collect information about the capabilities of the advanced F-35 warplane.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that a joint working group on disagreements would be established with the US, including the issue of the Russian-made advanced S-400 defense system, the Gulenist Group (FETO).

During a parliamentary session, Cavusoglu presented the 2022 budget of the Foreign Ministry and related institutions at the Planning and Budget Committee of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM).

The minister stated that Turkey remains in contact with the US, adding that the meeting between Erdogan and Biden was in a constructive atmosphere.

Cavusoglu said that the US cooperation with the PKK/YPG, FETO's presence in the US, and its stance on the S-400-related sanctions are incompatible with the spirit of alliance.

He pointed out that relevant institutions and ministries related to forming the working group and discussing issues are carrying out studies.

Meanwhile, Turkish authorities detained 17 people on Wednesday for attacking a visiting US Navy civilian employee in Istanbul.

The group that carried out the act, the Turkey Youth Union (TGB), put a hood over the head of the US civilian in a protest against US policy in the Middle East.

They shared images on Twitter of the incident, in which a group of people chanted anti-US slogans.

"You are our enemy, and you are not wanted here. We will not allow US soldiers to roam free in our lands. Yankee go home," the group said.

The group also criticized US support for Syrian Kurdish YPG fighters who are considered terrorists by Ankara.

The 17 people detained had targeted a civilian employee of a US Navy ship that "came to our city as part of a port visit," the governor's office said in a statement. It did not elaborate on any possible charges against the group.

The governor's office said that "the 17 detainees targeted a civilian employee of a US Navy ship who came to our city as part of a visit to the port."



North Korea's Kim Fires New Sniper Rifle while Visiting Troops

This picture taken on April 4, 2025 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on April 5, 2025 shows North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (C) looking through a rifle scope as he visits a training base of the Korean People's Army's special operations forces to observe a comprehensive training session, at an undisclosed location in North Korea. (Photo by KCNA VIA KNS / AFP)
This picture taken on April 4, 2025 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on April 5, 2025 shows North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (C) looking through a rifle scope as he visits a training base of the Korean People's Army's special operations forces to observe a comprehensive training session, at an undisclosed location in North Korea. (Photo by KCNA VIA KNS / AFP)
TT
20

North Korea's Kim Fires New Sniper Rifle while Visiting Troops

This picture taken on April 4, 2025 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on April 5, 2025 shows North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (C) looking through a rifle scope as he visits a training base of the Korean People's Army's special operations forces to observe a comprehensive training session, at an undisclosed location in North Korea. (Photo by KCNA VIA KNS / AFP)
This picture taken on April 4, 2025 and released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on April 5, 2025 shows North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (C) looking through a rifle scope as he visits a training base of the Korean People's Army's special operations forces to observe a comprehensive training session, at an undisclosed location in North Korea. (Photo by KCNA VIA KNS / AFP)

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has test-fired a newly developed sniper rifle, state media said Saturday, as he inspected special forces whose training he said bolstered "actual war capability for guaranteeing victory".

Such units are among the thousands of troops that South Korea's spy agency says Pyongyang has deployed to Russia to support Moscow's war against Ukraine.

During the visit to a special operations unit on Friday, Kim said the "actual war capability for guaranteeing victory in the war field is bolstered up through intensive training," the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported.

He added that their training is "the most vivid expression of patriotism and loyalty to the country," according to the agency.

Images released by state media showed Kim peering through the scope of a sniper rifle that KCNA said was going to be "newly supplied to special operation units".

Other images showed him pointing to the bullseye of a target, crouching alongside heavily camouflaged soldiers, and smiling and waving to troops.

Kim supervised "automatic rifle firing drills and sniper rifle firing drills" and, after personally test-firing the weapon, expressed "great satisfaction over the performance and power of the sniper rifle developed in our own way", KCNA said.

Kim's visit to the special forces came on the same day that South Korea's Constitutional Court upheld president Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment over his disastrous martial law declaration, booting him from office and triggering fresh elections.

Yoon had defended his December 3 attempt to subvert civilian rule as necessary to root out "anti-state forces" and what he claimed were threats from North Korea.

KCNA reported Yoon's dismissal for the first time on Saturday, citing foreign media.

South Korea's opposition leader Lee Jae-myung is seen as a frontrunner in the next election, experts say, and his party has taken a more conciliatory approach towards North Korea.

US President Donald Trump, who met Kim three times during his first administration, said this week that he is in "communication" with Kim and intends to "do something at some point", according to Seoul's Yonhap news agency.