Russian Defense Minister visits Turkey

SANAA, Feb. 11 (YPA) – Russian Defense Minister Sergei Schweiggo is due to visit Turkey on Monday, Anatolia news agency reported.

It is reported that the Russian minister will meet with his Turkish counterpart, Khulosi Akar, to discuss with him the situation in Syria, including the situation in Idlib, ahead of the upcoming three Russian-Turkish-Iranian summit in Sochi.

In another context, Turkey extended by a presidential decision on Sunday the task of its naval forces in the Gulf of Aden for an additional year, in order to contribute to combating piracy and robberies in the region and the Arabian Sea and its surroundings and the territorial waters of Somalia and its coasts.

According to the Anatolia news agency, “the official newspaper published the presidential memorandum approved by the leader of the country, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which provides for the extension of the task of Turkish naval forces in the mentioned areas an additional year from Sunday, 10 February 2019.”

Last week, the Turkish parliament approved a presidential memorandum stating that the Turkish navy was carrying out tasks “aimed at the safety of Turkish flag vessels and merchant vessels associated with the country, in the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea and its surroundings and the territorial waters of Somalia and its coasts.”

Sameera Hassn