- Title: Funeral ceremony held for Turkish soldier killed near al-Bab in Syria
- Date: 5th January 2017
- Summary: ANKARA, TURKEY (JANUARY 5, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS CARRYING COFFIN WRAPPED IN TURKISH FLAG AND PLACING IT ON TABLE TURKISH POLITICIANS ATTENDING FUNERAL CEREMONY VARIOUS OF FUNERAL CEREMONY IN PROGRESS FUNERAL CEREMONY AND PRAYERS VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS CARRYING COFFIN WRAPPED IN TURKISH FLAG AND CARRYING IT AWAY
- Embargoed: 20th January 2017 16:18
- Keywords: Mideast crisis Turkey Syria soldier al-Bab funeral Islamic State
- Location: ANKARA, TURKEY
- City: ANKARA, TURKEY
- Country: Turkey
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA0015XT1WLJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A funeral ceremony was held in the Turkish capital Ankara on Thursday (January 5) for Hamza Simsek, a Turkish soldier killed during clashes with Islamic State near the Syrian town of al-Bab.
Turkey launched an incursion into Syria in August to push Islamic State from its border and prevent Kurdish militia fighters taking ground in their wake.
Deputy Prime Minister Veysi Kaynak said on Thursday Turks are questioning the presence of U.S.-led coalition forces at the Incirlik air base in southern Turkey, reflecting frustration at what Ankara sees as a lack of support for its operations in Syria.
Kaynak told broadcaster A Haber that the issue of the Incirlik air base, used by NATO and the U.S.-led coalition, was on the government's agenda.
After Thursday's Izmir explosion, Kaynak said that such attacks will not stop Turkey from being active in Syria and Iraq. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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