The Turkish government secretly investigated U.S. airmen deployed to Turkey, monitoring their movements and alleging they were connected to a failed coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in July 2016, according to documents unearthed by Turkish dissidents.

But the fact that a host nation kept tabs on U.S. operations isn’t necessarily malicious, or surprising, U.S. officials said.

Turkish intelligence allegedly monitored U.S. service members working drone operations, conducting troop movements and operating against the Islamic State. Turkish prosecutors concluded that the activities were relevant to the coup investigation and ordered the documents to be incorporated into a case file regarding the coup attempt, according to Nordic Monitor.

The reports that were gathered detailed mundane logistical movements between Incirlik Air Base and a Turkish army base in the southern Turkish city of Gaziantep.

But Nordic Monitor alleges that the reports also contained information about more sensitive missions, including U.S. troops working on the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System deployed in southern Turkey and operations involving the Shadow Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System.

Read more HERE