Turkey’s top soldier meets US counterpart at İncirlik base

ADANA

Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar met his U.S. counterpart, Gen. Joseph Dunford at the İncirlik Air Base in the southern province of Adana on Dec. 5, the Turkish General Staff has announced. 

The meeting came while Dunford was at the base to celebrate an early Christmas with U.S. soldiers at the base as a part of the annual USO Holiday Tour. 

Akar was also visiting Turkish troops in the region accompanied by Land Forces Commander Gen. Salih Zeki Çolak, the military stated.

Akar later arrived at the İncirlik base, where he held a meeting with Dunford.

According to U.S. Navy Capt. Gregory Hicks, the two soldiers discussed current operations in the region.

After the meeting, Akar paid a visit to Adana Governor’s Office and made inspections at the 6th Mechanized Infantry Division Commandship.

Last month, Akar and Dunford held an announced meeting in Ankara, discussing joint strategies against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) as well as the Syrian Democratic Forces’ (SDF) launching of an operation to capture ISIL’s capital, Raqqa, and the ongoing Mosul operation in Iraq.

The traditional USO Holiday tour features actors Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans, Olympic gold medalist Maya DiRado, mentalist/entertainer Jim Karol, musician Craig Campbell and former NBA player Ray Allen.