NATO: "Plans in place to protect and defend Turkey" from Syrian attacks

Turkish military station at the border gate with Syria, across from Syrian rebel-controlled Tel Abyad town, in Akcakale, Turkey, Oct. 7, 2012. / AP

BRUSSELS NATO is ready to defend alliance member Turkey amid artillery exchanges along its tense southeastern border with Syria, its top official said Tuesday.

Turkey and Syria have exchanged mortar and cannon fire across their common border since errant Syrian shells killed five Turkish civilians last week, sparking fears of a wider regional crisis.

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen backed Turkey's right to defend itself.

"I would add to that that obviously Turkey can rely on NATO solidarity, we have all necessary plans in place to protect and defend Turkey if necessary," he said ahead of a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels.

NATO nations expressed solidarity with Turkey after errant Syrian shells killed five Turkish civilians last week. But analysts say the alliance is reluctant to involve itself militarily in another conflict at a time when its main priority is the war in Afghanistan and the handover of responsibility for security to Afghan government forces.

• Turkey again retaliates for Syrian shelling
• Wider war feared between Turkey and Syria
• Turkey fires on Syria after another mortar hits

"We hope that all parties involved (in the Syrian crisis) will show restraint, and avoid an escalation of the crisis," Fogh Rasmussen said. "I do believe that the right way forward in Syria is political solution."

Fogh Rasmussen's comments came as the Dogan agency quoted unidentified military sources as saying that at least 25 additional F-16 fighter jets were deployed at Turkey's Diyarbakir air base in the southeast late Monday.

The Turkish military's chief of staff inspected troops along the border with Syria on Tuesday.

The move is also seen as bolstering Turkish forces along the Iraqi border. Turkish jets struck Kurdish rebel targets in two separate cross-border raids in northern Iraq on Sunday despite warnings from Baghdad.

CBS

[fiddlestickawshucks]

Since when does any Country need NATO's permission to defend thenselves.??

If it weren't for NATO and the continued naysaying of Russia and China pertaining to Syria,more than a hundred (100,000) thousand of Syrian men, women and children would still be alive, and thousands of Syrians would not be living in refugee camps.

Any country; wether they are members of NATO or not, should tell NATO to "F" off if it becimes neccessary for them to defend their country against ANT foreign invader.!!!

[karek40]

The U.S. has been looking for any excuse to attack Syria, I suppose they will use NATO. We were wrong in Iraq, Egypt, Libya, & Afghanistan and will be wrong in Syria. The problem is we have a president who favors radical Islam.

[formerlyluvnut]

Well, I don't know what country you are from or talking about but here in the USA we have a Christian President who had NOTHING to do with Iraq & Afghanistan; Boy George Bush invaded Iraq illegally on a personal vendetta and the rag tops lead by Bin Laden started it all in Pakistan & Afghanistan so, if you are going to flap you're jowls I suggest you get the facts straight first! Duh.