Turkey’s land forces commander inspects troops deployed at Syrian border

ŞANLIURFA – Anadolu Agency

Land Forces Commander General Hulusi Akar and senior officers accompanying him inspected the Turkish-Syrian in the Şanlıurfa province by helicopter. DHA photo

A delegation headed by Land Forces Commander General Hulusi Akar inspected a border post in the southeastern province of Şanlıurfa’s Akçakale district on Sept. 10, as the Turkish army undertakes measures to increase its readiness at the border with Syria.

Akar and senior officers accompanying him flew over the border zone in a helicopter, Anadolu Agency reported. The delegation also visited troops deployed at the command post - the 5th squadron subordinated to the 2nd border battalion. 

The visit comes at a time when the U.S. congress is debating President Barack Obama’s initiative for a limited military strike on Syria in response to the Aug. 21 chemical attack, which killed over 1,400 people.

The Turkish army has beefed up its presence along its southern border with Syria in recent days, in anticipation of strikes on the regime in Damascus.

The army also recently began to build a new base at the top of Kel Mountain in the southern province of Hatay, an area lying to the north of the Syrian coastal city of Latakia.

High-ranking officials had also made an inspection at the mountainous border zone surrounding Hatay province on Aug. 31, visiting the Cilvegözü gate, which has become one of the busiest entry routes for Syrian refugees.