Four Saudi F-15 Fighters Arrive In Turkish Airbase To Fight IS

Four Saudi Arabian F-15 fighter jets have arrived in Turkey's Incirlik air base in southern adana province.

Undersecretary of the Saudi Defense Ministry, Ahmad al-Asiri has confirmed the landing, Anadolu Agency reported Friday.

"We are expecting the planes to arrive today or tomorrow (Friday)," Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was quoted as saying bystate-run Anatolia news agency Thursday.

Saudi equipment and personnel had already arrived on the ground. The planes are to arrive at the Incirlik base along side US, British and French warplanes, he said.

Private NTV television said eight Saudi F-15 jets would arrive at Incirlik on Friday. It said that 30 ground personnel and equipment had already arrived aboard C-130 Hercules military transport planes on Tuesday.

Ankara has said it is in favour of a ground operation in Syria, but only if it is conducted in coordination with Saudi Arabia and other Western and Gulf members of the anti-IS coalition.

"We have since the beginning argued for the necessity of ground operations and all kinds of strategic moves to be carried out in addition to the air campaign," Cavusoglu said.