Istanbul, Aug. 20 -- Turkey has denied that any of its military personnel were present at a Syrian airbase targeted by Israeli airstrikes earlier this week, rejecting Israeli claims that Ankara was seeking to deploy troops there.
Turkish Defense Ministry spokesman Zeki Akturk said Thursday that there had been no Turkish military delegation at the Abu al-Duhur airbase in Syria either before or during the Israeli attack.
"We inform you that there was no Turkish military delegation at the Abu al-Duhur air base in Syria either before or during the Israeli attack," Akturk said at a briefing.
He said Ankara considers an end to what it described as reckless Israeli attacks essential to preserving peace and stability in Syria and the wider regio...