Turkey takes precautions against possible ISIL attack on Russian warships passing through Bosphorus Strait

ISTANBUL

Authorities in Istanbul have taken security measures against a possible Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) attack on Russian warships passing through Istanbul’s Bosphorus Strait.Some 146 spots that ISIL militants could stage missile attacks from were determined and control points were established, daily Habertürk reported on May 16.Intelligence units have received information that the jihadist group may be planning to attack Russian warships with missiles and long-barreled weapons, and started to examine spots from where an assault can be launched. Places where ships get close to land during passage were examined by the Istanbul police.According to the daily, aerial and naval protection is being provided to Russian ships during passage. A police helicopter and two assault boats accompany the ships also as a precaution against attacks.Russian warship “Caesar Kunikov” passed through the Bosphorus on May 15 with a Turkish coast guard boat accompanying it. It was seen that soldiers were on duty on the ship’s deck.Increasing safety procedures on the Bosphorus Strait are taken to prevent new tensions between Turkey and Russia from erupting.Relations between Moscow and Ankara severely deteriorated when Turkey downed a Russian jet near the Syrian border on Nov. 24, 2015. After relations between the two countries were mended, Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov was assassinated at an art exhibition in Ankara on Dec. 19, 2016.