NATO Secretary General thanks Patriot crews protecting Turkey
Visiting the Patriot deployment at Gaziantep, the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg thanked personnel from the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, host nation Turkey and other Allies on Friday (10 October) for their contribution to reinforcing Turkey's air defence. “Your mission is more important than ever, and Allies remain committed to this vital mission,” the Secretary General said.
Mr Stoltenberg stressed that many service men and women are working as one with dedication and professionalism. "What you do keeps NATO strong. What you do keeps Turkey safe”, the Secretary General said.
The Secretary General received briefings from military commanders on NATO’s Patriot mission and had the opportunity to see batteries from the US Patriot Unit deployed at the Turkish military base in Gaziantep.
On Thursday, Mr Stoltenberg held talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu and other senior Turkish officials focusing on the crisis on NATO's southern border.
Since January 2013, NATO’s Patriot deployment has reinforced Turkey’s air defences to help protect Turkey’s territory and citizens against missile attacks from Syria. Germany, the Netherlands and the United States currently provide two Patriot batteries each for the mission, located in Kahramanmaras, Adana and Gaziantep.