By Sarp Ozer

KHARTOUM, Sudan

Turkey’s defense minister on Tuesday met with Sudanese officials in the capital Khartoum for bilateral and military talks.

Hulusi Akar was welcomed by his Sudanese counterpart Ahmed Awad Ibn Auf with a military ceremony in the city.

Akar later held talks with Auf and Gen. Kamal Abdel Marouf al-Mahi, Chief of General Staff, and chaired an inter-delegation meeting.

He was then hosted by President Omar al-Bashir at the presidential palace in the capital.

Topics such as bilateral defense, military cooperation and regional issues, as well as ongoing works on the Suakin Island were discussed, according to defense sources.

Turkey has been restoring the ruined Ottoman island on Sudan’s Red Sea coast after the restoration was agreed during a visit to the island by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Turkish president had visited the island on Dec. 25, 2017 as part of his two-day official visit in the northern African nation.

Turkey's plan to open military training centers in Sudan was also among the topics discussed in the meeting.