ISTANBUL, October 19. /TASS/. The US has informed Turkey that it is dispatching an aircraft carrier outfit to the Eastern Mediterranean to help evacuate civilians from the Palestinian-Israeli conflict zone, the TRT Haber TV channel reported citing a representative of the Turkish Defense Ministry.
"The US has announced that it has commissioned another aircraft carrier group. It has not yet arrived. Our American sources reported that they would not perform military tasks. However, they are engaged as part of an operation that will help evacuate civilians. We are closely monitoring these operations," the Turkish military said.
Previously the US Navy's Sixth Fleet aircraft carrier Mount Whitney was reported to have left Gaeta (Italy) on October 18. After that, it headed to the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. According to a statement from the fleet's website, it will interact with allied and partner forces during maritime operations and diplomatic activities as part of a national effort to build comprehensive US and allied maritime capabilities in the region.
The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford has already arrived in the region, carrying more than 4,500 military sailors. It is accompanied by five ships with a total of more than 1,600 military personnel. The aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (5,000 servicemen on board) and three escort ships (a total of about 1,000 US servicemen on board) also deployed to the Middle East.