Turkey breaks ground for military base next to Syrian city

The Turkish armed forces have begun to establish a new base on the top of Kel Mountain, adjacent to the Syrian coastal city of Latakia, the newspaper Hurriyet reported.

Military equipment, which was carried by trucks for two days from the Yayladag? district of the southern Hatay province, is being assembled on the top of the mountain. The base is close to where a Turkish plane was shot down by regime forces in 2012.

The army has beefed up its military presence along its southern border with Syria in recent days, in anticipation of strikes on the regime in Damascus.

Coastguard boats have been dispatched to the coast of Samandag, a town from where bombs were previously transferred to Reyhanl?, where 53 people were killed in a bombing in May.

Trucks, carrying armored vehicles and tanks, have also been dispatched to the southeastern city of Shanl?urfa's Murshitp?nar border post.

Some Western countries, as well as Turkey have already supported intervention in Syria following another escalation of the situation there. On August 21, Media outlets reported on a large-scale deployment of chemical weapons near Damascus by Syrian Government Troops. Over 600 people were the victims of the attack.

Earlier, the US president declared that the use of chemical weapon is a "red line" for the Assad regime. Media outlets reported on the preparation of the Navy and Air Force of these countries to begin intervention.

The clashes between the government forces and armed opposition have been continuing in Syria for over two years. According to UN statistics, the total number of victims of the conflict in Syria is more than 100,000 people. The Syrian authorities say that they are opposed by well-armed militants.

Adapted from TODAY.AZ