ISTANBUL - Patriot missile systems sent by Germany and installed close to the Turkey-Syrian border are ready to be activated, Cihan News Agency reported Thursday.

The report said the missile systems are deployed on the premises of Gazi Military Post situated in Turkey's southern province of Kahramanmaras.

The missiles arrived at the Turkish port of Iskenderun located in the southern province of Hatay on Monday, delivered by the Danish-flagged Suecia Seaways ship.

Germany, the Netherlands and the United States are each providing two batteries of the missiles to protect their NATO ally Turkey from possible incoming ballistic missiles from Syria.

Violence has flared along the Turkish-Syrian border, with Syria-fired shells causing casualties in Turkish border areas and Turkey retaliating with artillery fire.

At a request by Turkey, NATO agreed in December to station the missile systems in the country.