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Thousands of protesters filled the streets outside the Incirlik Air Base in Turkey, demanding the US military leaves the country.

The base – which houses nearly 3,000 US troops and several hundred RAF airmen – was placed on high alert as demonstrators burned US flags and chanted “Allahu Akbar”, which is Arabic for “God is greatest”.

The new disorder is alarming as it comes just days after the military tried to overthrow the Turkish government in a failed coup.

(Image: TWITTER)

The Incirlik Air Base is a launch point for air strikes against Islamic State and is just 140 miles from the Syrian border.

It houses US tactical nuclear missiles.

Electrical power to the base was cut during the July 15 coup.

Troops had to rely on a back up generator for several days and power was only restored this week.

(Image: RUPTLY) (Image: GOOGLE)

The protest is a worrying development as the increasingly Islamist government of president Recep Erdogan has purged thousands of secular elements from its military.

Turkey is meant to be a member of NATO and an ally of the US and Britain but ties are becoming increasingly strained.