Turkey denies new deal reached to open airbases to US in fight against Isis

Turkish officials have denied reaching a new agreement to let the US use its Incirlik airbase in the fight against Islamic State(Isis) militants, in comments which ran contrary to a statement made by US national security adviser Susan Rice on Sunday.

The Turkish prime minister’s office said an agreement had been reached to train moderate Syrian rebels on Turkish soil, but it was not yet clear “where [and] in what way” that would happen.

On Sunday, the US said Turkey had agreed to let US and coalition forces use its military bases, including the key Incirlik airbase close to the southern city of Adana, 100 miles from the Syrian border.

But Turkish officials insisted that no decision had been taken on Incirlik.