Greece: Joint air force drills with Cyprus, Egypt, Israel
Greece’s defense minister says plans are being drawn up for joint air force drills with Cyprus, Israel, Egypt and other European countries as part of efforts to bolster stability in the eastern Mediterranean.
Panos Kammenos’ remarks Oct. 1 came after a military parade in the Cypriot capital to commemorate the 57th anniversary of the ethnically divided island’s independence.
The parade included the overflight of a pair of Greek Air Force F-16 jets, the first showing of the Greek warplanes at the event in 16 years.
The island’s Greek Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades said there will be no let-up in efforts to reunify Cyprus, despite July’s collapse of peace talks with breakaway Turkish Cypriots.
Russian-made BUK surface-to-air missiles were also put on the display at the parade. AP
Turkey opens military training base in Somalia capital
The Turkish government has opened a military training base, its largest in Africa, in the Somali capital, Mogadishu.
The Turkish chief of staff Gen. Hulusi Akar and Somali Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire inaugurated the newly-constructed facility Sept. 30.
Khaire thanked Turkey for “unwavering” support to help Somalia rebuild its fractured army and stabilize the war-torn country.
Two hundred Turkish military officers will train 10,000 Somali soldiers at the base which includes army dormitories, training grounds and prisons.
Somalia’s army, including former militia, is struggling to battle the Islamic extremist al-Shabab insurgents who are fighting to establish an Islamic state under strict Shariah law.
The Somali government is challenged to take over the country’s security before the scheduled withdrawal of 22,000 African Union forces late next year. AP