ADANA - U.S. soldiers assigned under U.S. military action against Iraq are returning to the United States via the Incirlik Air Base in southern province of Adana.
The air base opened its doors to press on Wednesday for the first time after the Iraq war.
Reporters who were taken into the air base under control of the Public Relations Unit, attended a ceremony held to welcome soldiers returning from duty in Iraq under the rotation of U.S. troops that started on January 7, 2004.
Speaking to reporters prior to the ceremony, Captain Jeff Berlakovich from the 728th Air Transportation Unit and Captain Bickardo Bodden from the Public Relations Unit said that they did not know how long the rotation would continue.
Meanwhile, a C-17 cargo plane of the U.S. Air Forces carrying U.S. soldiers landed at the Incirlik Air Base early on Wednesday. U.S. troops including women soldiers who seemed to be tired and not to have had any sleep reached Incirlik air base after a two-hours flight.
They were greeted by U.S. soldiers who earlier arrived from Iraq and by air base staff with applause. They firstly attended a briefing and later they had their rations in the dining hall of the base.
U.S. soldiers said living conditions in Iraq were difficult and they had experienced tough days due to high temperatures. When they were asked whether they wanted to return to Iraq, they said they could return to Iraq despite everything in case they were assigned.
(MS-AÖ) 25.02.2004