Military buildup grows in Syria

The world's strongest militaries are queuing up to enter Syria, with Britain the latest to join the already-crowded theater after its parliament voted to join U.S.-led air strikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Syria.

The Turkish government also granted France permission to use its airspace in the fight against ISIL, diplomatic sources have told the Hürriyet Daily News.

"France asked us for authorization to use our airspace in the context of the fight against Deash [ISIL] in Syria. This authorization was given on condition that the general principles outlined for the coalition countries are followed," the source said.

France is to "intensify Syria operations" after the Nov. 13 Paris attacks, said French President François Hollande, while police raided the homes of suspected Islamist militants across France overnight, arresting 23 people, after French aircraft began intensifying bombing ISIL targets in the caliphate's capital, Raqqa, on Nov. 15.

Meanwhile, German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen was scheduled to visit Turkey on Dec. 3 to conduct talks with her counterpart, ?smet Y?lmaz.

Although no official decision has been taken yet, German and Turkish officials have been working on finalizing a memorandum of understanding on the basis of Germany's proposals, diplomatic sources told the Hürriyet Daily News. 

Germany wants to send six Tornado reconnaissance jets, refueling aircraft to ?ncirlik Airbase in southern Turkey, a frigate to protect a French aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean Sea, and up to 1,200 military personnel to the region for one year, in response to a French appeal after the terrorist attacks in Paris that killed 130 people.

Some 550 of the 1,200 German...