Turkey and Egypt will hold joint naval drills for the first time in 13 years

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ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey and Egypt will hold joint naval drills for the first time in 13 years, the Turkish Defense Ministry said Thursday, as ties between the two regional powers continue to warm.

The exercises — dubbed Friendship Sea — will take place in the eastern Mediterranean between Sept. 22-26. They will include Turkish frigates, fast attack vessels, a submarine and F-16 fighter jets, alongside Egyptian naval units, the ministry said.

The two navies’ top commanders are expected to attend a high-level observer day on Sept. 25, it added, underscoring the importance of the exercise after more than a decade of strained ties.

Relations between Egypt and Turkey — a longtime backer of the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood group — soured a decade ago following Egypt’s 2023 military coup that ousted President Mohammed Morsi, who hailed from the Brotherhood, during mass protests against his divisive rule. Egypt also outlawed the group as a terrorist organization.

Ties between Ankara and Cairo were also strained over their diverging policies on Libya and the eastern Mediterranean.

The two countries agreed to repair relations and reappoint ambassadors in 2023, and there have been several visits between Turkish and Egyptian leaders and officials since then.

Both countries have also taken a firm stance against Israel’s military operations in Gaza, working together for a ceasefire.