Germany begins to withdraw troops from Turkish airbase after row over access

Germany yesterday began to pull its troops out of a Turkish airbase after a row with Ankara over access.

The troops have supported international operations against ISIL, a German defence ministry spokesman said.

The withdrawal from the Incirlik base, approved by the German parliament last month, marks a further step in one of many disputes between the two countries, ranging from a post-coup clampdown by Ankara to Turkish political campaigning in Germany.

German Tornado jets were expected to keep operating out of Incirlik at least until the end of this month as part of a mission providing reconnaissance aircraft to support US-led coalition operations against ISIL in Iraq and Syria. The necessary materiel was to be moved to a new airbase in Jordan, where the planes are scheduled to be based by October.

A German air tanker refueller left Incirlik for the Jordan base yesterday, the spokesman said.

A Turkish official confirmed that the withdrawal had started, saying Germany’s defence minister had told her Turkish counterpart of the withdrawal date when they met during the Nato summit in Brussels.

Turkey had refused to allow German politicians to make a visit to the base, saying that Berlin needed to improve its attitude towards Turkey first.

Germany had banned some Turkish politicians from campaigning on its soil for a referendum on giving Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan sweeping new powers. Ankara responded by accusing Berlin of “Nazi-like” tactics and reigniting the dispute over Incirlik.

German chancellor Angela Merkel said that a meeting with Mr Erdogan had revealed “deep differences” between the two Nato allies.

The withdrawal from the Incirlik base marks a further step in one of many disputes between the two countries