Turkey conducts drills  in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea as part of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2, together with Italy, Germany and Greece, the Turkish Defense ministry reported.

The Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 involves two Turkish frigates, the Italian frigate, the German frigate and the Greek frigate, RIA Novosti reported.

The crews of the ships will perform joint tactical maneuvering and will arrive at the port of Mersin on January 24-26, the Turkish military department said.

Turkey is the second most important country among the 29 other countries participating in the The Standing NATO Maritime Group 2, plays an important role in NATO’s naval guard operations, and also provides support and access to the ports of Aksaz and Mersin in the eastern Mediterranean.