The German military is preparing for a possible withdrawal of six Tornado reconnaissance jets from Turkey's Incirlik Air Base given Ankara's continued refusal to allow German lawmakers to visit the facility, Der Spiegel magazine reports.
The magazine said the German Bundeswehr was evaluating whether it could move the warplanes and refuelling aircraft, which are supporting the US-led coalition's aerial attacks on Daesh targets, to Jordan or Cyprus. It quoted unnamed military sources as saying such a move would interrupt the reconnaissance flights for at least two months. The German Defense Ministry gave no details about its plans.
"We would like to continue the mission from Turkey, but there are alternatives to the base in Incirlik," Reuters cited a ministry spokesman as saying.
The Social Democrats, junior partners in Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition government, are now insisting that Germany should withdraw its aircraft and troops from the base given Turkey's refusal to allow German lawmakers to visit the base.
Tensions between the two NATO allies have spiked after the thwarted July 15 coup, with Turkey angry about what it called Germany's sluggish response in condemning the putsch and expressing concern about those killed.
Merkel last month said the parliamentarians must be allowed to visit the 250 soldiers at the base, although she stopped short of threatening to withdraw the troops.
