Turkish Defense Ministry

There is no talk of a ceasefire deal between Turkey and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northern Syria, contrary to a US announcement on the issue, a Turkish Defense Ministry official said on Thursday.

Türkiye's Bayraktar TB3 unmanned combat aerial vehicle before launch.

Türkiye's Bayraktar TB3 unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) achieved a milestone in aviation history by becoming the first drone to take off and land successfully on a short-deck ship.

The milestone was reached on Tuesday, as the TB3 operated from the short-runway carrier TCG Anadolu.

Turkey will conduct a naval exercise in the Aegean, Mediterranean and Black Sea between October 21 and 25, Turkish Defense Ministry spokesperson Zeki Akturk said on Thursday. 

Turkish Defense Ministry sources have neither confirmed nor denied a recent report in Kathimerini that said Turkey and the US are planning to stockpile Russian-made S-400s, with the aim of lifting CAATSA sanctions and returning Turkey to the F-35 procurement program.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reaffirmed Türkiye's unwavering commitment to combating terrorism, vowing to continue the fight until the threat is fully eradicated.

Greek officials bristle at Turkish officials' claims that they have allegedly recognized Turkey's rights to a continental shelf around the Aegean islands, claims that are also reflected in Turkish media.

Turkey on Thursday sought to frame this week's events in the southeastern Aegean as a validation of its expansionist claims in the region.

Top brass from Greece and Turkey will hold a meeting on Friday in Albania as part of confidence-building measures between the two countries, Turkey's Defense Ministry has announced.

The chiefs of the general staffs of the two countries will meet on the sidelines of the 17th Meeting of the Chiefs of the General Staffs of the Balkan Countries.

Tensions with Ankara have resurfaced again after Ankara's objections to Greece's announcement to designate marine parks, including one in the Aegean Sea. 

Ankara's intransigent stance on issues related to the Aegean, as expressed by its ministries of foreign affairs and defense and the ruling AKP party, stem from its long-held theory of "gray zones" in the region.