Turkish General Staff visits units in Adana and Diyarbakır

DİYARBAKIR – Anadolu Agency

DHA photo

Turkish General Staff Chief Gen. Hulusi Akar visited airbases in the southern province of Adana and the southeastern province of Diyarbakır between Nov. 6 and 7, according to the Turkish General Staff.

Akar visited air force units based in Adana and Diyarbakır over their anti-terror activities and units who joined the fight against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants in Syria. The Turkish General Staff said in a written statement on its website that Akar also visited foreign military personnel who have taken part in the coalition fight against ISIL in Syria and received information about the operations. 

Air Forces Commander Gen. Abidin Ünal accompanied Gen. Akar during his visits. Gen. Akar also visited the governor’s offices in both Adana and Diyarbakır during his time in the cities.

Akar’s visit came two days after Turkish Foreign Minister Feridun Sinirlioğlu said the country had “plans to act militarily” against ISIL militants in the coming days.

“You will see. We should all stand together against this danger,” Sinirlioğlu said at a conference in Arbil on Nov. 4, one day after a meeting with Masoud Barzani, the leader of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq. 

Sinirlioğlu did not specify if Ankara’s action would target ISIL militants in Turkey or in Syria. “The occupation of one-third of Iraq and also vast areas of Syria by Daesh [ISIL] has undoubtedly created one of the most serious challenges,” he said.

“It has threatened our security and, although the Daesh advance has been checked with the support of the international effort which we are a part of, the threat is far from over,” he added.

Meanwhile, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu vowed to continue military operations against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) throughout the winter on late Nov. 4.

At a security summit, the prime minister ordered a continuation of military operations against the PKK “without interruption in winter conditions,” a written statement from Davutoğlu’s office said. 

Developments in Syria, cross-border operations against ISIL elements and a military campaign conducted with coalition forces were also discussed during the meeting, read the statement.