Ankara: The Turkish Ministry of Defense announced on Monday the deployment of six F-16 fighter jets and air defense systems to Turkish Cyprus to ensure its security.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Ministry stated that this move is part of a gradual plan to guarantee and strengthen the security of Turkish Cyprus, in light of recent developments in the Middle East region.

The statement further clarified that, based on assessments conducted according to the evolving situation, additional measures will be taken as needed. This comes after the Turkish Ministry of Defense had announced on Saturday that it was considering deploying F-16 fighter jets to northern Turkish Cyprus.