The Greek and American armies are planning to hold a joint military exercise near the region of Western Thrace, where Greece’s Turkish minority lives, reports from Athens said Monday.

The Greek army’s Leopard tanks will join the U.S. Army’s M1 Abrams tanks for a drill near the Petrochori village in Xanthi.

The exercise will be watched by Greek Chief of General Staff Konstantinos Floros and top U.S. commanders and diplomats in Europe, reports said.

Ankara had previously criticized Athens for holding a heavily armed training session in a Turkish village in Xanthi, calling it an attempt to intimidate the area's Muslim population.

Turkey also criticized U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for visiting the Greek Cypriot administration on the weekend and agreeing to lift military sanctions.

In July, Pompeo had announced that the U.S. would include the Greek Cypriot administration in its military training program for 2020.