Greek, US forces carry out joint military exercises in Western Thrace

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) – Greek and the US forces are carrying out military exercises in Western Thrace, which will continue till Feb. 24.

The drills, dubbed Thracian Cooperation-23, go on with the participation of units from various Greek brigades, including airborne, armored, and aviation, and units from the US 101st Airborne Division, the Greek military said in a statement.

Greek lawmakers ratified a revised version of the US-Greece Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement (MDCA) on May 12, 2022.

The deal permits the US to use the Georgula Barracks in Greece's central province of Volos and the Litochoro Training Ground and army barracks in the northeastern port city of Alexandroupoli, along with the naval base in Souda Bay in Crete, which the US has operated since 1969.

The MDCA, first signed in 1990, has been renewed multiple times, with the last extension in 2019.

It was earlier subject to annual renewal, but later amendments allowed for five-year extensions.