US Offers Families of Military Staff, Diplomats to Leave Incirlik

The US Department of State and Department of Defense authorized the voluntary departure of family members of US personnel stationed at Incirlik air base and consulate in Adana, Turkey, according to US State Department’s deputy spokesperson Mark Toner.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The United States has offered the families of the US military and diplomatic personnel to leave Turkey’s Incirlik air base and the Adana consulate because of safety concerns, US State Department’s deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said in a statement on Thursday.

"The Department of State and Department of Defense have authorized the voluntary departure of family members of US personnel stationed at Incirlik air base and our consulate in Adana, Turkey," Toner stated.

Toner explained that the decision was made "out of an abundance of caution," following the launch of military operations from Turkey’s Incirlik air base against the Islamic State.

On August 12, the United States launched the first manned aircraft from Incirlik to strike the Islamic State targets under the deal reached by US President Barack Obama and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in July.

The State Department said the following day that the US authorities had asked the Turkish government to refrain from launching independent airstrikes against Islamic State positions prior to Turkey’s full integration into the US-led coalition against the terrorist group.