Turkey takes precautions for troops in northern Syria operation region

ANKARA

The Defense Ministry has said necessary measures were being taken against the coronavirus outbreak for Turkish troops in the Operation Spring Shield region in northern Syria.

The ministry shared footage of measures taken to protect the troops in the operation region. The images showed the temperatures of soldiers on duty being measured as well as disinfection works in armored personnel carriers and tanks across the border. Also, fortified trenches in the operation area were disinfected regularly.

The Defense Ministry plans to increase weekly mask productions to 10 million, overall productions to 110,000 and disinfectant production to 40,000 liters within the scope of combating coronavirus.

Lieutenant Colonel Nadide Şebnem Aktop, from the Press and Public Relations department of the Defense Ministry, said on April 19 that as part of medical procedures for COVID-19 patients, the ministry’s international raw material and drug supply activities continue for the supply and production of certain medicines.

Research and development studies have started with sample raw materials and the ministry’s drug development project has been delivered to the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK), she said.