Contracts signed for F-16 procurement from US: Turkish Defense Ministry sources

By Utku Simsek

ANKARA (AA) - Contracts have been signed between Ankara and Washington for the procurement of F-16s from the US, and work on the details is ongoing between respective delegations, the Turkish National Defense Ministry sources said Thursday.

The Ministry sources answered journalists' questions following a weekly press briefing held in Ankara by the ministry spokesman Zeki Akturk.

About the procurement of F-16s from the US, the sources said: "The contracts have been signed, and work on the details is ongoing through discussions between the respective delegations. Details will be shared with the public after decisions are made."

The sources also answered the question regarding the so-called local elections that the PKK/PYD/YPG/SDF terrorist organization planned to hold in northern Syria but have been postponed.

"Previously, our president (Recep Tayyip Erdogan) and our national defense minister (Yasar Guler) made necessary warnings that these elections should not be held. We warned that these so-called elections should be completely canceled rather than postponed, the sources said.

"These so-called elections planned by the terrorist organization are contrary to the UN Security Council's Resolution 2254 and the territorial integrity of Syria. We reiterate our warning that they should be completely canceled, not postponed," they added.

*Writing by Gizem Nisa Cebi from Istanbul