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An anti-war group known as the "Human Shield" arrived in the Turkish city of Adana on Wednesday, where the United States military base is located.
The group, which includes 50 foreigners and 26 Turks, had departed from Aksaray, about 240 kilometers south of Ankara, the semi-official Anatolia News Agency reported.
Cihan Keskek, a member of the group, said they aimed to prevent a possible US operation against Iraq.
The Human Shield group later went to Incirlik hamlet, but security forces did not allow members to enter the hamlet.
Responding to the ban, group member Saban Dayanan said: "We condemn Adana governor's office because of its attitude. We call everybody to act together against all kinds of obstacles." He added that they were setting off for Iraq to give a message to the world.
The Adana deputy of the Republican People's Party (CHP), Tacidar Seyhan, said these actions staged to prevent a possible war against Iraq showed the sensitivity of the Turkish people. Fatma Unsal Bostan, a member of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Board of Founders, who also left for Baghdad with the Human Shield group, said the AK Party wants and would support peace till the very end.
The Human Shield group will stay in Iskenderun township, in Hatay Province, for a day and then go to the Cilvegozu border gate to enter Iraq.
(Xinhua News Agency February 13, 2003)
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