US pulls soldiers out of Turkey

Over 1,000 US soldiers, along with equipment and supplies, were to start leaving Turkey on Tuesday, as the US-led war drew to a close.

More than 1,000 US soldiers, along with equipment and supplies, were to start leaving Turkey on Tuesday, as the US-led war in Iraq drew to a close.

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The Turkish army general staff said in a statement that 1,166 US soldiers would be flown out of the Incirlik airbase in southern Turkey to Germany on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Some of the troops had been serving in Incirlik as part of a US-British force tasked with patrolling a no-fly zone over northern Iraq. That mission ended with the start of the Iraq war.

The remaining troops have been in Turkey to upgrade air bases and ports.

Equipment and supplies will be shipped out of the Turkish port of Iskenderun between April 15-23.