The Turkish authorities on Saturday halted, at least temporarily, all American-led strike missions against the Islamic State that had been flying from the Incirlik air base — the first major impact of the attempted coup on the broader allied campaign against the terrorist group, United States officials said. “The Turkish government has closed its airspace to military aircraft, and as a result air operations at Incirlik Air Base have been halted at this time,” Peter Cook, the Pentagon press secretary, said in a statement. Mr. Cook said United States officials were “working with the Turks to resume air operations there as soon as possible.” In the meantime, he said, the American military’s Central Command will alter flight operations in an effort “to minimize any effects on the campaign” against the Islamic State. Pentagon officials had said late Friday that the unfolding coup had not affected the bombing and surveillance missions from Incirlik. The opening of that base to the allies has enabled commanders to accelerate and intensify airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria. Read more http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/17/world/europe/turkey-us-incirlik-isis.html?_r=0
