Turkish military holds coordinated drills in Aegean Sea amid tensions

Turkish air and naval forces have carried out joint training exercises in the Aegean Sea, amid escalating tensions between Turkey and Greece in the eastern Mediterranean Sea over gas and oil exploration.

The Turkish Defense Ministry announced in a tweet that the country’s F-16 fighter jets took part alongside warships to “enhance, maintain and improve operational capability.”

The announcement came as NATO members Turkey and Greece are facing off in the eastern Mediterranean Sea over energy exploration and a day after Ankara declared the discovery of huge natural gas reserves off its Black Sea coast.

Turkey is involved in a dispute over oil and gas exploration rights with Greece and Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean.

Earlier in the month, Turkey dispatched a warship-escorted research vessel to explore for energy resources in the disputed waters of the eastern Mediterranean Sea, where Greece claims exclusive rights to the seabed. Athens responded by sending warships to the area and placing its military on alert. France, in clear signaling of support for Greece, also dispatched warships and planes for joint drills with Greek forces.

The EU fully backed Greece’s maritime claims last week and sanctioned two Turkish energy executives, warning Ankara to “immediately” stop its oil and gas exploration activities in the eastern Mediterranean.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has, however, vowed to continue the country’s energy exploration in the disputed waters despite warnings from the EU and a military buildup by France.

SS