Hagel: US Wants Use of Turkey Base, Agreement to Train, Equip ’Moderate’ Syrian Militants

Local Editor

US War Secretary Chuck Hagel said on Thursday that the key military assistance the United States would like to get from Turkey would be access to the Turkish air base at Incirlik and an agreement to help train and equip the so-called "moderate" Syrian militants.

Hagel said US officials are raising those issues with Turkish leaders in discussions this week.

He further said that Turkey has military capabilities that would be valuable in the fight against the so-called "Daesh" [ISIL] extremist group.
The US would like to be able to base various aircraft at the air base near the Syrian border, he said.

Hagel spoke to reporters on his plane as he began a six-day, three-country trip to South America. His first stop is Colombia, and he will also go to Chile and Peru, where he will attend a conference of defense ministers from the Americas.

The so-called "moderate" militants have been fighting to topple the Syrian government. As part of that campaign, US President Barack Obama authorized the US to train and equip the militants, also in the hopes that they could form a more cohesive fighting force against Daesh.

That training has not yet begun because officials need to first select and vet the militants for the program.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team