Turkey stops politicians visiting German air base

Turkey has refused German politicians permission to visit soldiers serving at an air base near the city of Konya, marking an escalation in tensions between the two Nato allies.

Turkey’s refusal in May to let lawmakers visit German soldiers serving at Incirlik air base led to Berlin relocating those troops to Jordan. In Konya, German airmen contribute to a Nato air surveillance mission.

A German foreign ministry official said it “regretted” Turkey’s request to delay the parliamentary delegation and it was in talks to arrange a new date.