ANKARA, Turkey, Aug 17 (NNN-ANADOLU) – Turkish Minister of Defence, Hulusi Akar, paid a visit to the border military post, in the southeastern province of Sanliurfa, where Turkey and the United States will set up a Joint Operations Centre for a safe zone in Syria.
Akar, along with commanders of the land, air, and naval forces, arrived in Sanliurfa and inspected troops in the border area, in the Akcakale district.
Their visit came, one day after a U.S. military delegation visited the military post, to examine the planned Joint Operations Centre at the army frontier.
The U.S. delegation, headed by Deputy Commander of the U.S. European Command, Stephen Twitty, also held talks with Turkish military officials, on the “safe zone.”
“Within the scope of the safe zone, which is planned to be established in the north of Syria, in coordination with the United States, efforts are underway to put into operation, the Joint Operation Centre, to be established in Sanliurfa,” Turkish Ministry of National Defence said.
Turkish and U.S. military officials, on Aug 7, agreed to set up a safe zone in northern Syria, which envisages the withdrawal of Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) in the area.
The two NATO allies also agreed to establish a Joint Operations Centre, for the administration and coordination of the safe zone. It was not immediately clear how and when the zone would be created.
Turkey sees the YPG as the Syrian offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).– NNN-ANADOLU
