Turkish army chief, top brass participate in military drill in Aegean

ANKARA

DHA photo

Turkish Chief of Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar and a top brass participated in a military drill being carried out in the Marmara, Aegean and eastern Mediterranean seas. 

Akar, Chief of the Army Gen. Salih Zeki Çolak and Naval Forces Commander Adm. Bülent Bostanoğlu watched the “Denizkurdu 2017” drill from inside the TGC Kemalreis ship, the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) said in a statement on May 23. 

According to the statement, the drill, launched on May 13, was coordinated by Fleet Commander Adm. Veysel Kösele and the top brass went to the ship on the Aegean late on May 22 to see how it was going. 

Akar watched the trainings for the preparation of an operation and surface launches as part of the drill, which was followed by him evaluating the training activities with the units and commanders. Akar and the top brass spent the night at the sea. 

Speaking about Turkey’s struggle against terror, Akar noted that the security operations will continue against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), the Democratic Union Party (PYD), the People’s Protection Units (YPG), the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ), which is widely believed to have been behind the July 15, 2016, failed coup attempt. 

“The operations against the PKK, PYD, YPG, as well as FETÖ and ISIL will continue until the last terrorist is neutralized,” Akar said, adding that all of the operations conducted by the TSK are in line with international law. 

“TSK is carrying out its operations against terrorists in Syria, Iraq and outside and inside the country,” he said. 

Akar noted that missile launches were carried out successfully during the drill. 

The TSK said that certain naval trainings and launches including guided missiles were carried out today with the participation of a total of 21 foreign military attaches from 19 countries on May 23 as part of the drill. 

TGC Kemalreis ship docked at the Aksaz Naval Base Command in the resort town of Marmaris early on May 23, and the top brass and Akar saluted the military attaches. 

The drill will end on May 26.