Turkey's top security council meeting to focus on fight against terror, EU relations

Turkey's top security body, the National Security Council (MGK), will hold its last meeting of the year tomorrow. The meeting will be convened by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the Presidential Complex in Ankara.

According to sources, the meeting is set to focus on six major topics, including Operation Euphrates Shield and the future of Turkey's relations with the European Union.

Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar is expected to make a presentation on the military's ongoing Operation Euphrates Shield as Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters are now expected to move towards Manbij, once they gain control of the key northern town al-Bab over the coming days.

Even though U.S. officials had promised the withdrawal of the PKK-affiliated Syrian Democratic Union Party (PYD) from Manbij, Turkish sources confirmed that there are still around 200 PYD militants left in the town.

Turkey's probable strategies in the case of a confrontation between its Special Forces and the PYD as well as other military measures in Syria will also be discussed at the meeting.

Additionally, the ongoing Mosul operations against Daesh and the latest on Turkish troops in the Bashiqa military camp near Mosul will be another matter of discussion.

Turkey has already said it will not remain silent on military advancements by the Shia militia group Hashd al-Shaabi, inside the mostly-Turkmen Iraqi town of Tal Afar and also warned that it will not let Sinjar become a second headquarters for the PKK.

For emergency military intervention, the Turkish Armed Forces have already deployed tanks and other armored vehicles to Silopi in the southeastern Şırnak province, near the Iraqi border.

The ongoing war against the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), who is believed to be behind the July 15 failed coup attempt, and extradition efforts to bring its leader Fetullah Gülen back to Turkey will also be on the meeting's agenda.

In addition, the future of Turkey-U.S. relations under the incoming Trump administration will also be discussed. The MGK is expected to consider some possible scenarios on Syria and Iraq policies under the Trump administration.

Furthermore, the future of Turkey-EU relations will also be scrutinized at the MGK meeting, after ties with the EU soured following a recent European Parliament non-binding vote in favor of freezing Turkey's accession talks.

Turkey is not planning to step back on it visa liberations demands for Turkish citizens and expect the EU to fulfil its promises by end of this year. Probable effects of the cancellation of the Turkey-EU deal and a referendum to halt its EU accession process will also be discussed at the meeting.