Germany to deploy Patriot batteries to Turkey

Germany has agreed to provide Turkey with two batteries of Patriot air defence missile complexes to be situated in the border areas with Syria, TRT Haber channel said today.

Germany will also send 400 servicemen to Turkey to monitor the installation and use of the Patriot.

Turkey appealed to NATO in the second half of November with a request to provide it with Patriot systems to protect against Syria's possible air attack.

NATO said that it will consider the request as a priority. A NATO delegation together with representatives of the Turkish Armed Forces completed choosing the sites for the Patriot systems.

The Syrian army periodically bombs the border areas with Turkey. In October, six Turkish citizens were killed by Syrian Armed Forces in another direct hit.

Anti-government protests have continued in Syria for a year and half.

According to UN, the total number of victims of the conflict in Syria exceeds 30,000. More than 230,000 have become refugees with around three million in need of humanitarian assistance. The Syrian authorities say they oppose the well-armed militants.



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