Pro-Palestinian crowds try to storm airbase housing US troops in Turkey
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ADANA – Turkish police used tear gas and water cannon as hundreds of people at a pro-Palestinian rally on Sunday tried to storm an airbase that houses US troops, hours before US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was due in Ankara for talks on Gaza.
Turkey, which has stepped up its criticism of Israel as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has worsened, supports a two-state solution while hosting members of the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Since the Israel-Hamas war started, protests have erupted across the country.
The IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation, an Islamist Turkish aid agency, had organised a convoy to travel to Incirlik airbase in the Adana province in southern Turkey to protest against Israeli attacks on Gaza and US support for Israel.
Incirlik, which has been used to support the international coalition fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria militant group, also houses US troops.
IHH’s protest called for Incirlik to be closed.
Footage from the protests showed the police firing tear gas and using water cannon to disperse crowds waving Turkish and Palestinian flags and chanting slogans.
Protesters toppled barricades and clashed with police in riot gear. They were also seen hurling plastic chairs, rocks and other items at the police, who fired smoke bombs at crowds. Scuffles broke out between the crowds and security forces.
IHH president Bulent Yildirim addressed the crowds in Adana and urged them to refrain from attacking the police.
“Friends, it is wrong to throw rocks or do similar things because both the police and soldiers would want to go to Gaza and fight, and they will go when the time comes,” he said.
“Our rage is huge. We cannot hold it in. But Turkey is doing what it can,” he added.
IHH ended its rally earlier than planned due to the clashes with the police.
The rally comes hours before Mr Blinken is expected to arrive in Ankara for talks on Gaza with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan on Monday, and after repeated criticism by Ankara towards the West over support for Israel. REUTERS
