The Pentagon on Friday announced the United States will send 400 troops and two Patriot missile batteries to Turkey as part of the NATO effort to protect Turkey from potential Syrian attacks, the Associated Press reported.
Germany and the Netherlands will also commit two Patriot batteries and 400 troops each, the New York Times reported.
The U.S. deployment will arrive “in coming weeks,” the Pentagon’s press secretary George Little said, according to the Times. Of the military support, he added, “The United States has been supporting Turkey in its efforts to defend itself.”
Little also announced the decision via Twitter early Friday morning:
#SecDef has approved deployment of US Patriot missile batteries to Turkey as part of NATO effort to support our ally.
— George Little (@PentagonPresSec) December 14, 2012