ADANA - The first of six Patriot missile batteries being sent by NATO countries to defend Turkey from possible attack from Syria went operational on Saturday.
The United States, Germany and the Netherlands are each sending two batteries to Turkey and up to 400 soldiers to operate them after Ankara asked NATO for help. The Patriots are capable of shooting down hostile missiles in mid-air.The frontier has become a flashpoint in the 22-month insurgency against President Bashar Assad, with Syrian government shells frequently landing inside Turkish territory, drawing a response in kind from Ankara's military.
