Reporters held for filming near airbase hosting US forces in Türkiye

ADANA

Two Turkish journalists were arrested on Feb. 28 for filming near a sensitive airbase in Turkish southern province of Adana that hosts U.S. troops in live footage for Anka News Agency, the Turkish outlet and a union said.

The footage was shot after Israel and the U.S. began striking Iran, which retaliated with missile barrages against Gulf states hosting U.S. bases and against Israel.

İncirlik air base is home to a sensitive Turkish air base that has hosted U.S. troops for decades. A key NATO facility, it is used by both Türkiye and the U.S..

It lies about 10 kilometers (six miles) from the southern city of Adana.

The journalists, who had been filming a live stream outside the base, were working for Koza TV which was contracted to supply broadcast footage to Anka, the agency said.

Posecutors in Adana said an investigation was opened on grounds that "sharing images of the location, security arrangements and physical structure of military facilities and bases poses a risk to national security.”

Following the complaint, Anka halted the broadcast and removed the footage from its website.

It also issued a public statement, apologizing "for the misunderstandings caused by our social media posts and live broadcasts conducted as part of our journalistic duties.”