US to send advanced missile system to Türkiye

(Baonghean.vn) - The Turkish Foreign Ministry announced on April 26 that the country has reached an agreement with the United States on deploying US-made lightweight multiple rocket launchers in the border area with Syria in the fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS).

M142 high-mobility multiple rocket launcher system during Balikatan exercise at Clark Air Base, Philippines. Photo: AFP.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) "will be deployed on the Turkish border next May as part of the agreement" with Washington.

He stressed that the HIMARS system would be deployed "to be able to attack IS targets more effectively".

According to the head of the Turkish Foreign Ministry, HIMARS allows Ankara to hit IS targets within a range of 90 km, while Turkish artillery has a narrower range of only 40 km.

Türkiye - a member of the US-led military coalition against IS - has stepped up its attacks in Syria following a series of deadly attacks on its territory that Ankara blames on IS jihadists.

Ankara also allows US warplanes to use its airbase in the south to conduct airstrikes against jihadist groups./.

Lan Ha

(According to AFP)