BRUSSELS
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has said the alliance had plans in place to defend and protect Turkey if necessary amid escalated tensions along the Turkish-Syrian border after trade of artillery and mortar fire between the two countries.
"We have all necessary plans in place to protect and defend Turkey if needed ... NATO is an alliance based on solidarity and obviously Turkey can rely on NATO solidarity," Rasmussen told reporters ahead of a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels.
Turkey has retaliated in kind artillery and mortar fire from northern Syria where pro-Assad forces are fighting rebels.
Last Wednesday five civilians -- all women and children -- were killed when a mortar landed in the Akcakale town near the Turkish-Syrian border.
