From Jonathon Burch, Reuters:  The Turkish military launched a 10-day exercise at a base near the border with Syria on Monday, where fears of a spillover of violence and of the fallout of any chemical weapons use have escalated in recent weeks.  

The exercise at Incirlik, a NATO air base outside the city of Adana where U.S. troops are also stationed, will test the military’s readiness for battle and coordination with government ministries, the general staff said in a statement. 

"(The exercise will) test joint operations that would be carried out between ministries, public institutions and the armed forces at a time of mobilization and war," it said. 

While the exercise in Adana province, some 100 km (60 miles) from the border, was described by NATO’s second-biggest military as "planned", it comes at a time of heightened tension. . . .

A Turkish border guard was killed and six others wounded last week in a clash with armed men at a border crossing along the 900 km frontier.  (photo: PressTV/Iran)

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