Turkey issues Navtex for new military exercises in eastern Med

ISTANBUL-Agence France-Presse

Turkey on Aug. 28 launched new military maneuvers in the eastern Mediterranean expected to last two weeks, in a sign that heightened tensions between Ankara and Athens were likely to continue.    

A dispute over maritime borders and gas drilling rights has reignited the long-running rivalry between Greece and Turkey, with the two neighbours staging rival naval drills.    

In a message on NAVTEX, the international maritime navigational telex system, Turkey said it would carry out "shooting exercises" from Aug. 28 until September 11 in a zone off the southern Turkish town of Anamur, north of the island of Cyprus.    

Ankara already announced on Aug. 27 that military exercises would take place on Sept. 1 and Sept. 2 in a zone further east.