The ship, ''Suecia Seaways'', carrying Patriot missile batteries from Germany has arrived in the Iskenderun Port in southern province of Hatay on Monday morning. Following the unloading of the missiles at the port, the batteries will then be carried to the southern province of Kahramanmaras overland. It is reported that Germany has also sent some 350 German soldiers, including medics.

The other cargo ship, Louise Russ, carrying the missiles from Netherlands has also arrived at the same port on Sunday evening. The Dutch ship is reported to be waiting to unload the batteries.

The next ship carrying the air defence systems for Patriots will come from the U.S. The systems from the U.S. will be deployed in Kahramanmaraþ, Adana and Gaziantep where people have been taking to the streets in masses to protest against the deployment of the Patriot missiles. Thousands gathered yesterday in Antep in protest against the preparations for an imminent war. “We want peace and we will not allow the U.S. turn the world into bloodbath”, they said.

NATO said last week the system should be operational by early February, perhaps sooner.