US appreciates Turkish base access, hopes will continue: Pentagon
WASHINGTON - Reuters
![US appreciates Turkish base access, hopes will continue: Pentagon](http://image.hurimg.com/i/hurriyet/75/0x0/59c9bb7f45d2a027e83e1154.jpg)
"We are operating out of İncirlik ... and we look forward to that continuing," Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook told a news briefing.
His remarks came after Turkey began to question the use of the İncirlik air base by the anti-Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) coalition forces.
Turkey argues that the U.S. has failed to support Ankara’s offensive in the al-Bab region against the jihadist group.
“Our people ask, ‘why are they [coalition forces] using the İncirlik Airbase [if the coalition does not provide aerial support to the Euphrates Shield operation]. We allowed not only the U.S. but also other countries’ jets to use İncirlik to jointly fight [ISIL],” Turkish Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu told state-run Anadolu Agency on Jan. 4.
Defense Minister Fikri Işık also said on Jan. 4 that the lack of the U.S.-led anti-ISIL coalition’s air support in Turkey’s Euphrates Shield operation in Syria’s al-Bab “raises questions” about the mission of the İncirlik Air Base in Adana.