Hulusi Akar

Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has said he met with senior Iraqi and Iraqi-Kurdish officials to discuss Turkey's ongoing fight against the PKK terrorist organization, which had been using the Iraqi territories since the late 1980s.

Maintaining the status quo in the Black Sea provided by the Montreux Convention is of vital importance, Turkey's defense minister has said, calling on Ukraine and Russia to de-escalate tension and resolve problems through dialogue.

Defense Minister Hulusi Akar on Feb. 16 attended NATO meetings in Brussels amid a crisis between the Alliance and Russia over the latter's military build-up in eastern Ukraine. Akar also had a bilateral meeting with his Greek counterpart after a fresh debate between the two neighbors over the status of the Aegean islands.

Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum has tested positive for COVID-19, while the country's top health official predicts that daily virus cases will decline sharply after peaking.

The Turkish Parliament has suspended work for one week over increasing COVID-19 cases among lawmakers and the staff.

In the last month, 40 MPs only from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) tested positive for COVID-19. The treatment of deputies from other political parties who contracted the virus is continuing.

Turkey has called Russia and Ukraine for restraint and dialogue amid ongoing escalation between the two neighbors on the eve of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's visit to Kyiv on Feb. 3.

The biggest problem between Turkey and the United States is the latter's support to the YPG in northern Syria, Turkey's defense minister has said, expressing his hope that the matter between the two allies can be resolved through dialogue.

More than 1 million Syrian refugees have returned from Turkey to their country, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited Ashgabat on Nov. 27 to pay an official visit and attend the 15th Summit of Heads of Member States of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) at the invitation of Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov.

Turkey's National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar on Nov. 23 met with Somalia's Chief of General Staff Brig. Gen. Odawa Yusuf Rageh in the capital Ankara.

Rageh arrived in Turkey at the invitation of Chief of General Staff Gen. Yaşar Güler.