A retired four-star U.S. Air Force General Philip Breedlove said that İncirlik air base is indispensable for the U.S.

Speaking at the panel organized by neoconservative U.S. think-tank the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) on Monday in Washington D.C., Breedlove said that the situation in Syria once again demonstrated the strategic importance of Turkey.

Underlining the importance of maintaining institutional relations in U.S-Turkish military relations from this perspective, Breedlove stressed that İncirlik air base is indispensable for the U.S.

''In addition, the Diyarbakır air base is also vitally important for us. We still continue many of our search and rescue activities from there,'' he added.