Turkey’s defense chief’s visits this year include ones to Turkey’s Azerbaijan satrapy and to conquered territory in Iraq, Libya and Syria.

Turkish, Afghan defense ministers discuss Kabul airport

In a phone call on July 30, Turkish and Afghan defense ministers discussed the security of Hamid Karzai International Airport, Turkish authorities said.

In a statement, the Turkish National Defense Ministry said Hulusi Akar and his Afghan counterpart Bismillah Khan Mohammadi also addressed the regional security and bilateral relations.

Ankara has been running the military and logistic operations of the Kabul airport for six years as part of the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission.

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Turkey’s Akar discusses Kabul airport with Afghan counterpart

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said recently that Turkey is considering operating the major Kabul airport after the U.S.-led pullout. He also said that Ankara is ready to discuss the peace process with the Taliban, adding that the group must stop the occupation.

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At the end of a series of meetings with NATO leaders on the sidelines of the alliance summit in June, Erdoğan stated that Turkey was seeking Pakistani and Hungarian involvement in the mission in Afghanistan following the departure of the U.S.-led NATO force.