Turkey's Erdogan threatens to close 2 US military bases

' If the United States continues to act like this, we have steps to take as well'

Tayyip-Erdogan-reuters Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan | Reuters

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday said, “If necessary, we can close Incirlik and we can close Kurecik.” Erdogan was referring to the two strategic military bases used by the United States in Turkey after Washington warned of sanctions over Ankara buying Russian arms.

The US air force uses the airbase at Incirlik for raids on positions held by the so-called Islamic State group in Syria. The Kurecik base houses a major NATO radar station.

"The US Senate's decision on the so-called Armenian genocide is null and void for Turkey. If the United States continues to act like this, we have steps to take as well," Erdogan said. 

Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu raised the issue of the strategic bases last week. 

Turkey bought the Russian S-400 missile defence system despite warnings from Washington. 

On Friday, Turkey summoned the US ambassador after the US Senate followed the lower house and voted to recognise the 1915 killings of Armenians as genocide. The bill is yet to be signed by President Donald Trump.

While Armenia said that 15 lakh people were killed, Turkey said the number was far lower than the number of Turks killed and blamed it on the First World War.