Saudi warplanes arrive in Turkey's Incirlik base

Saudi military jets have arrived in Turkey’s Incirlik air base in southern Adana province to carry out missions against Daesh, a Saudi military spokesman said late Saturday.

Brigadier Ahmed al-Assiri told Al Arabiya television network that the aircraft will be used in joint operations against Daesh in Syria.

He did not give the exact number of Saudi warplanes now positioned in Turkey, but only said that more aircraft would be sent to the Incirlik base in the future.

Assiri also said that no Saudi ground forces had been sent yet.

About the possibility of a ground operation in Syria, the Saudi official said that military specialists were still analysing the situation and details would be finalised in the upcoming days.

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu also said Saturday that no decision about a possible Turkish ground operation in Syria had been made yet. “[There is] currently… no decision or a strategy to conduct ground operations,” although Turkey has long advocated land operations in Syria, Cavusoglu said.

Turkey, together with coalition forces, has been making efforts to eliminate Daesh in Syria.