Turkish Armed Forces

Turkey's military has made a statement on a recent debate over a report in daily Hürriyet that was also heavily criticized by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. 

The military said on Feb. 28 that recent "unfounded and ill-intentioned" criticism toward Chief of Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar aimed at casting a shadow on the Turkish Armed Forces' (TSK) struggle against terrorism.

The Turkish military said on Feb. 28 that recent "unfounded and ill-intentioned" criticism toward Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar aimed to cast a shadow on the Turkish Armed Forces' (TSK) struggle against terrorism. 

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a meeting with Defense Minister Fikri Işık at the Beylerbeyi Palace in Istanbul on Feb. 27. 

Reports said the president would also meet with Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar later in the day.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım held an announced meeting with Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar on Feb. 27 after the military voiced its disturbance over a series of criticisms and reports targeting Turkey's top soldier. 

The Turkish Armed Forces has voiced its unease over "abrasive" criticisms and reports that have targeted Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar in recent days over a number of topics on the country's agenda.

The criticisms and false reports are intended to overshadow the army's success at a time when it is fighting against terror organizations, military sources told daily Hürriyet.

The Turkish Armed Forces has voiced it uneasiness over "abrasive" criticisms and reports particularly targeting Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar in recent days over a number of topics on the country's agenda. Some false reports and criticisms were intended to overshadow the army's success at a time it is fighting against terror organizations, military sources told Hürriyet.

In a landmark move, the Turkish military removed the headscarf ban for female officers, non-commissioned officers and cadets on Wednesday, being the last institution in Turkey to do so.

A mass production agreement for Turkey's first locally designed and produced assault rifle has been signed with a local company, the Defense Industries Undersecretariat has said. 

"Some 10,000 MPT-76 will be manufactured by Sarsılmaz Silah Sanayi under the assault rifle supply project," the undersecretariat said in a written statement.        

A Turkish military patrol boat fired shots early Friday morning in the area around the eastern Aegean island of Farmakonisi, the Greek defense ministry said.

According to the ministry, Turkish authorities issued a Navtex on Thursday informing of a military exercise with live ammunition in the area east of Farmakonisi on Friday morning.

A pair of Turkish fighter jets violated Greek air space above the island of Farmakonisi on Wednesday.

The two F16s entered the Athens Flight Information Region at 1.18 p.m and flew over Farmakonisi at an altitude of 26,000 feet.