Turkish army chief meets US counterpart in Poland

WASHINGTON

Turkish Chief of Staff Gen. Yaşar Güler has met his American counterpart in the Polish capital of Warsaw, a U.S. military official said on Sept. 30. 

Güler met with Gen. Joseph F. Dunford, the chair of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, on Sept. 29 on the sidelines of NATO Military Committee meetings that run between Sept. 28 and 30.

In a statement, Col. Patrick S. Ryder, a spokesman for the Joint Staff, said Dunford congratulated Güler on his appointment as the chief of the Turkish army.

According to the statement, the U.S. army chief also expressed his desire to build on the positive relationship forged with the previous commander, Gen. Hulusi Akar, who is now defense minister.

“The two leaders discussed security and stability in Manbij, as well as ways to strengthen the U.S.-Turkey military-to-military relationship,” the statement read.

In June, Turkish and U.S. forces began patrols in the northern Syrian city of Manbij in line with a deal focusing on the withdrawal of the YPG from the city in a bid to stabilize the region.