Germany to withdraw troops from Turkey

Germany will pull two Patriot missile batteries, and 250 troops, from southern Turkey by the start of next year, after a reassessment of the threats from the conflict in neighboring Syria.

Defence minister Ursula von der Leyen announced at the weekend that Berlin would let its three-year Patriot mission lapse in January.

Germany, the US, and the Netherlands all deployed Patriots in early 2013, after Turkey asked its fellow Nato partners for help in protecting its territory, amid an escalating civil war in Syria.