A High-level meeting of Turkey's military leadership began on Wednesday, and is expected to focus on senior armed-forces appointments, Daily Sabah reports. 

The Supreme Military Council (YAŞ) meeting started at Çankaya Palace with Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım chairing the event.

This meeting is a bi-annual gathering which discusses the appointments and retirements of high-ranking staff officers and generals, as well as the removal of military personnel.

YAŞ members first visited the mausoleum of Turkey's first president, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, before going to Çankaya Palace where the meeting is being held.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is expected to host a dinner for YAŞ members at the Beştepe Presidential Complex on Wednesday evening.

In the aftermath of last year's failed coup attempt by the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), the government restructured YAŞ, handing more seats to Cabinet ministers and reducing the military's representation.

In line with the change, the deputy prime ministers, the justice minister, the foreign minister, the interior minister, the defense minister and the prime minister will attend the meeting along with the commanders of the armed forces. Previously, the president, the prime minister and the defense minister were the only civilian representatives in the council.

The military was brought under further government control after the July 15 coup attempt, and the commanders of the Army, Navy and Air Forces were ordered to answer directly to the Defense Ministry.

In addition, the president and prime minister were given the authorities to issue direct orders to military commanders without the need of any prior approval.

According to military sources, the fight against FETÖ, the status of the chief of general staff and other commanders would likely top the council's agenda Wednesday.

Decisions taken at YAŞ gatherings are announced after being ratified by the president.

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