Türkiye strongly condemns the recent Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia that left 12 people killed, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Monday.

“We strongly condemn Houthi attacks targeting the main airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh, which killed 12 people,” Erdoğan said, adding that Ankara “stands with Saudi brothers” against these attacks.

Speaking after the Cabinet meeting in Ankara, Erdoğan also reiterated that Türkiye wants peace and stability across the region.

He expressed condolences for those killed in the attacks, including people performing the Umrah pilgrimage, and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

“We want peace and stability across our entire region,” Erdoğan said, adding that Türkiye would continue defending peace based on “regional ownership.”

The president also announced that work is underway to submit the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement – a pact signed in August between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan – to Parliament in the coming days to complete domestic approval procedures.

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Türkiye’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ahmet Yıldız called on Israel to end its “reckless acts” in Syria and fully comply with the 1974 Disengagement Agreement.

“Lasting stability is essential for Syria to rebuild its economy, attract investment, and participate in regional energy and connectivity projects,” Yıldız told a session of the U.N. Security Council on Monday.

“Israel’s continued violations of Syrian sovereignty and territorial integrity undermine these prospects and show disregard for international law,” he said.

“The situation is particularly alarming in southern Syria, where continued military incursions and expansionist actions and words are getting out of control,” he added.

Yıldız said Israel’s recent resumption of activities along the so-called “Sufa 53 line” in Quneitra was a further attempt to undermine the 1974 agreement and impose a fait accompli on the ground. “These reckless acts must stop,” he said.

He urged Israel to comply with the 1974 agreement and relevant Security Council resolutions, particularly Resolution 497, and to withdraw from the occupied Syrian Golan Heights. “A stable, sovereign and unified Syria capable of securing its borders, defeating terrorist organizations and contributing to regional peace and economic cooperation serves the interests of all, including Israel,” he added.

“The dissolution of the so-called SDF has opened a new chapter in the integration process,” Yıldız said. “Remaining arrangements should be finalized and fully implemented without delay, in a manner that reinforces Syria’s sovereignty, unity and social cohesion,” he added.

Yıldız described the fight against terrorism as “a critical priority” and welcomed Damascus’ cooperation with the global coalition for the enduring defeat of Daesh. “Security and economic recovery must advance hand in hand,” he said.

On refugees, Yıldız said the number of Syrians under temporary protection in Türkiye once exceeded 4 million and now stands at around 2.2 million.

He said returns have been gradual because of economic conditions, security concerns and Israeli incursions. Since Bashar Assad’s fall on Dec. 8, 2024, Israel has expanded its military operations in Syria, moving troops into the Golan buffer zone and nearby positions. Syria demands the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the areas they occupied and maintains its commitment to the 1974 Disengagement Agreement. Israel claims its movements are driven by security considerations.

Addressing the same session, Syria’s U.N. representative Ibrahim Olabi said those claiming to seek security “should not be killing Syrian citizens within Syrian territory.”

“They should know very well that there is only one path towards security, which is international legitimacy and the resolutions of the (U.N. Security) Council,” the envoy said.

“Every time they open fire on Syria, they are, as the world has witnessed, at the same time opening fire on itself locally and internationally,” he added. Olabi also urged support for economic recovery, investment, job creation and reconstruction. He called for help rehabilitating schools, hospitals and water and electricity networks and for resources and expertise to clear mines and other remnants of war.

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The Houthis’ ongoing attacks targeting Saudi Arabia are under the spotlight in Türkiye, which signed a key defense deal with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan last August. Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the government ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), reiterated that deal, which evolved into the Mecca Defense Alliance, and urged the government to throw all military support behind the defense of Saudi Arabia. “(Saudi Arabia) should be enabled to respond to acts violating international laws decisively and sensitively,” Bahçeli said at the parliamentary group meeting of his party in Ankara on Tuesday.

As civil war in Yemen flared up this summer, Houthis spread it to Saudi Arabia, prompting the central government in Yemen to launch an all-out operation against the group last week. Saudi Arabia’s oil and military installations were among the main targets of the Houthis. The attacks then spilled over into King Khalid Airport, leading to at least a dozen casualties. The civilian casualties drew international condemnation.

On Oct. 5, top ministers of Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan gathered in Riyadh for the meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee of the alliance and decided to deploy military forces and capabilities to Saudi Arabia. The move is the most concrete step since the agreement was signed in August by the top officials of Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, to showcase the impact of the alliance in the broader region.

Drawing attention to the fact that Houthi attacks targeting the holy lands were serving the goal of destabilizing the region, Bahçeli said: “We cannot turn a blind eye to, remain silent about or tolerate attacks targeting our first qibla, Al-Aqsa Mosque, our qibla, the Kaaba or the blessed sanctuary of the Prophet Muhammad.”

Stressing that attacks targeting the holy lands could not be ignored under any circumstances, Bahçeli said all available diplomatic means should be used and, if these proved insufficient, deterrent force should be employed. “Under the Mecca Alliance, our country must be enabled to provide Saudi Arabia with all possible military support for its defense and to respond sensitively and resolutely to approaches that also violate international law,” he said. Emphasizing that escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia had caused heavy civilian casualties, Bahçeli said attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure clearly constituted serious crimes under international and humanitarian law.

Bahçeli said attacks launched from Yemen against Saudi Arabia must be condemned in the strongest terms, recalling previous assaults. “These heinous attacks undoubtedly target the peace and stability of the entire region. The renewed escalation of the conflict that has persisted in Yemen for years threatens the security of the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, posing serious risks to international trade, energy supply security and regional economic stability. At this difficult time for the Middle East, no action that deepens hostilities among regional countries, opens new fronts of conflict or costs civilian lives can be excused. Regardless of the justification offered, attacks targeting civilians can never be considered legitimate,” he said.

On Sunday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a stern statement condemning the Houthi attack on the airport and reiterated support for Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Bahçeli said Türkiye was committed to its obligations under the joint defense agreement.

“For years, our ancestors bore the honorable title of Hadimü’l-Haremeyn (Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques). (Ottoman general) Fahrettin Pasha’s legendary defense of Medina stands as a powerful testament to this sense of duty. It was on these lands that the heroic Turkish soldier, nurtured in the hearth of the Prophet, earned the title of Mehmetçik. Thank God, our faith, conviction and determination regarding our sacred lands have never waned, they remain alive in the hearts of our nation and are firmly embedded in the institutions and strength of our state,” he stated.

“We hope the Houthis will immediately halt their attacks, a lasting political solution will be established in Yemen, and regional disputes will be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. Everyone in the region must act with restraint and remain guided by reason and sound judgment. No more Muslim blood should be shed, and our entire region must be able to live in an environment of peace and security,” Bahçeli added.

Calling for a united stance against those who turn sectarian differences into grounds for conflict, pit Muslim communities against one another, squander the region’s resources on wars and sow seeds of discord, Bahçeli said: “The Islamic world must stand united, and infighting among brothers must end immediately.”

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Turkish security sources said Monday that the terrorist group PKK had evacuated four accommodation areas in Metina, a region in northern Iraq, as a process aimed at the group’s full disarmament continued. The statements confirmed remarks by a senior PKK figure who claimed the group had left tunnels in Metina on Oct. 8.

The development comes amid the “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, launched in 2024 to secure the dissolution of the terrorist group. Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, who plays a key role in the initiative, said Monday that the process was advancing positively.

Sources said the Hebat, Yajk, Sabri and Sason shelter areas in Metina’s Baze region were evacuated on Oct. 8, while Turkish media outlets broadcast footage showing PKK members leaving the areas, which served as terrorist hideouts. The footage showed empty tunnels and members of the group walking away with their belongings.

Earlier, Murat Karayılan, a senior PKK figure, said in an interview that the group had completed its withdrawal from Metina to demonstrate that it posed no threat to Türkiye. Karayılan also claimed that the PKK had ordered its clandestine units in major cities, including Istanbul, to withdraw. Security sources said the shelter areas had posed a security risk to Türkiye and described the PKK’s withdrawal as decisive progress in the process.

The sources described the move as an indication that the process was continuing, saying efforts under the initiative were aimed at strengthening regional stability and reinforcing Turkish-Kurdish fraternity.

Following the termination of the PKK’s activities in all areas, members of the group who return to Türkiye under prospective legal arrangements are expected to undergo a social integration process. Comprehensive programs in areas including education and the economy are also planned to facilitate their reintegration into society.

The sources said the broader process aims to establish lasting domestic peace in Türkiye and enable all segments of society to live together in peace and security. They added that steps taken under the initiative were intended to strengthen regional stability and social cohesion.

The initiative was launched in 2024 by Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the government’s ally, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). Bahçeli, who has long taken a hard-line stance against the PKK and previously called for the execution of its jailed ringleader, Abdullah Öcalan, argued that the group’s dissolution would serve Turkish-Kurdish unity amid growing threats to Türkiye’s security and existence.

Öcalan responded to Bahçeli’s call by instructing the PKK to lay down its arms. The group complied in 2025, beginning to destroy its weapons at a ceremony in northern Iraq in a symbolic move. Since then, Turkish intelligence has been monitoring progress toward full disarmament.

Meanwhile, the Turkish Parliament passed legislation in August providing for the deferral of sentences and prosecution for PKK members who were not involved in deadly terrorist acts.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA) on Monday, Yılmaz, who chairs a state board overseeing the initiative, said the process was “progressing positively” after becoming state policy.

“This has become a state policy, and with the work being carried out within this framework, the terror-free Türkiye process is moving forward on its course and in a positive direction,” he said.

Yılmaz said legislation aimed at strengthening national solidarity and social integration had been adopted by Parliament with 467 votes following lengthy deliberations in a commission, creating a model unique to Türkiye.

He said Türkiye had reached a “historic opportunity” to resolve an issue that had accumulated over decades and, according to government estimates, had cost the country at least $2.3 trillion.

Yılmaz also described the process as a major window of opportunity, stressing that resources devoted to counterterrorism could instead be directed toward the country’s development and higher democratic standards.

“We will redirect the energy we have spent on fighting terrorism toward development and improving our democratic standards and living standards. We see this as a major window of opportunity,” he said.

‘Century of brotherhood’

He said permanently ending terrorism would usher in a new era for Türkiye’s democracy and development, adding that the government’s “Century of Türkiye” vision would also be a “century of peace and brotherhood.”

The vice president linked the initiative to a broader regional vision, saying resources in countries such as Iraq and Syria should benefit their own populations. He said Türkiye aims to strengthen peace and security at home while helping establish an environment of stability and prosperity across the region.

Yılmaz said the legislation establishing the framework for the process envisaged two main stages.

The first involves the laying down of arms, verification of disarmament on the ground and confirmation by Türkiye’s National Security Council that weapons have been surrendered and the organization dissolved, he said.

The second stage provides for the temporary supervised release of individuals convicted of certain offenses, with applications to be submitted within a six-month period. He said four subcommittees had been established under the Monitoring and Evaluation Board, with the Judicial and Legal Affairs Coordination Subcommittee and the Social Cohesion and Integration Subcommittee preparing for their roles in the second stage.

On disarmament, Yılmaz said there had been positive developments on the ground but cautioned that such processes were difficult and required patience. He cited the evacuation of some caves in sensitive areas near Türkiye’s border and steps to remove structures that posed security threats.

Yılmaz also pointed to developments in Iraq, including the transfer of control over the Sinjar region to the Iraqi government and the completion of the mission of Türkiye’s Bashiqa camp.

“There is positive progress on the ground, but these are difficult processes. After all, these are processes shaped by many years. We need to follow the process patiently and move toward the goal step by step,” he said.

Yılmaz stressed that the decision to dissolve the organization and lay down its arms had been taken by the PKK itself, adding that Ankara expected the group to implement those decisions gradually.

“We expect them to take these steps gradually. We will verify and identify developments on the ground and submit them to the relevant bodies,” he said.

He added that Parliament was also expected to establish a structure to monitor the entire process, noting that the parliamentary speaker had begun consultations with political parties on the issue.

Yılmaz stressed that Türkiye was addressing the issue through its own institutions without seeking outside mediation.

“Türkiye is a country that resolves its own problems without taking them to another power, a third party or an international organization,” he said. “If it achieves complete success, I believe this will be a success story that sets an example for the world,” he added.

Yılmaz said the process required cooperation among Parliament, the government and civil society, arguing that it should transcend party politics. He also expressed hope that the broad parliamentary cooperation seen in the process could be replicated on other major national issues, including efforts to draft a new constitution.

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) is going through a challenging period, but a new survey shows it remains the country’s leading political party. A poll conducted by research company Asal among 2,020 people between Oct. 4 and Oct. 10 found that 31.6% of respondents would vote for the party if a general election were held today.

The main opposition New Party (YP) followed with 25.2%. The Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) ranked third with 8.8%, slightly ahead of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the AK Party’s partner in the People’s Alliance. The Good Party (IP) followed the MHP with 7.1%, ahead of the Republican People’s Party (CHP), which received 5.1%.

The IP was founded by former MHP members, while Özgür Özel’s ouster as CHP chairman in May led to the establishment of the YP by Özel and fellow CHP lawmakers in July. The Victory Party (ZP), also founded by former MHP members, trailed the CHP in Asal’s poll with 3.4%.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s chief adviser Mehmet Uçum, who also serves as deputy chair of the Presidency’s Legal Policies Board, sought to clarify the debate over the date of the next elections last month. Uçum told journalists that the elections would most likely be held on April 16, 2028, the anniversary of a 2017 referendum on the transition to an executive presidential system. He also stressed that this would be the last election in which Erdoğan would be eligible to run.

Uçum said the elections could be held on that date if Parliament approved their renewal, a move that would require the support of 360 lawmakers. He described the possibility of an election in the last quarter of 2027 as “low,” amid opposition calls for an early vote.

Under Turkish law, the next general election would normally be held in May 2028. However, the Constitution allows Parliament to call an early election with the support of at least 360 of its 600 lawmakers, a move that would open the way for Erdoğan to seek another term. The People’s Alliance holds 326 seats in Parliament.

The government has repeatedly insisted that elections will be held on schedule. Erdoğan, who became prime minister in 2003, was elected president in 2014 after serving three terms as prime minister.

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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s name has come up in discussions on efforts to secure peace, or at least a cease-fire, between Russia and Ukraine. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha told Ukrainian news agency RBC-Ukraine on Monday that renewed peace efforts could be possible “either together with Trump or through the mediation of President Erdoğan.”

“We are ready for this,” he said, adding that possible talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin could “at the very least” focus on a cease-fire and an exchange of prisoners of war.

Sybiha said Ukraine wanted trilateral talks to be held as soon as possible and would seize any opportunity to pursue peace. He stressed that a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin was essential to ending the conflict.

In a phone call with Putin last week, Erdoğan reaffirmed Ankara’s readiness to contribute to efforts to establish direct dialogue between Russia and Ukraine.

An increasingly influential player in international diplomacy, Türkiye successfully brokered the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which facilitated the shipment of Ukrainian agricultural exports to global markets during the war. Although the initiative did not achieve all its objectives, Türkiye has remained one of the few countries capable of facilitating negotiations, thanks to its close ties with both the Kremlin and Kyiv. In 2024, Türkiye helped mediate one of the largest prisoner swaps between Russia and the United States since the Cold War. Separately, Istanbul has hosted meetings between Russian and Ukrainian delegations throughout the conflict.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said at a joint news conference in Ankara with his Hungarian counterpart last week that Türkiye had worked to resolve the conflict since it began. Fidan, however, warned that the war remained a major threat to regional and global stability, particularly security in the Black Sea.

He cited the grain initiative and Türkiye’s strict enforcement of the Montreux Convention as concrete elements of Ankara’s efforts. He also expressed concern about the conflict spilling over into the Black Sea, noting that Turkish-owned vessels flying the Turkish flag had been targeted.

“Increasing attacks on civilian vessels are a grave threat to Black Sea security. The regional countries should not allow the Black Sea to become a new front in the conflict. We warned both sides of the conflict on this matter,” Fidan said.

He added that Türkiye had also made several proposals to both sides to help resolve the conflict.

The Kremlin on Monday rejected a 60-day cease-fire proposed by Zelenskyy to allow Ukraine to hold presidential elections, saying it wanted a comprehensive peace deal instead.

“Please tell Putin, give us two months, 60 days of total cease-fire, 60 days, and we will organize elections,” Zelenskyy told ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday that Russia wanted a long-term peace deal rather than a temporary cease-fire.

“In the Kremlin, both President Putin and officials at other levels have repeatedly stated that we do not want a cease-fire,” Peskov said. “We want long-term peace and are prepared to do everything possible to achieve it.”

Russia has long pressed Ukraine to hold elections, arguing that Kyiv’s failure to do so renders Zelenskyy an illegitimate leader. Elections during wartime are prohibited under Ukrainian law.

Under Erdoğan’s leadership, Türkiye has raised its diplomatic profile and achieved results in its peacemaking efforts.

The veteran politician has reshaped Turkish foreign policy to safeguard Türkiye’s interests and support the rights of oppressed peoples. In the Karabakh conflict, a major issue for Türkiye’s ally Azerbaijan, Erdoğan voiced Ankara’s support for Baku’s fight against Armenian occupation. Türkiye’s military and political support contributed to the outcome of the 44-day Second Karabakh War, which began on Sept. 27, 2020, and ended with Azerbaijan’s victory. The war effectively ended nearly three decades of Armenian control over Azerbaijani territories and enabled Azerbaijan to regain control of its lands.

Erdoğan’s diplomatic efforts and support for Libya’s internationally recognized government also helped shift the balance of power in the country, which had been mired in political turmoil since the fall of Moammar Gadhafi. Türkiye supported the government in Tripoli as armed groups backed by foreign actors sought to seize the capital, intensifying the conflict.

Türkiye has also sought to mediate disputes across Africa, a continent long shaped by outside powers’ competing interests. In 2024, Erdoğan stepped in to help resolve tensions between Somalia and Ethiopia, hosting Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed at the Presidential Complex in Ankara. The two leaders announced an agreement following talks hosted by Erdoğan.

Previously, Türkiye hosted rounds of talks between Somalia and Somaliland in 2013 and 2014, laying the groundwork for further negotiations. In 2021, Erdoğan offered to mediate between Egypt and Ethiopia over the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Türkiye also reached out to Ethiopia to help end the conflict in the Tigray region. That year, Erdoğan also offered to mediate a border dispute between Ethiopia and Sudan.

Erdoğan again stepped in when a new conflict erupted between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Türkiye’s intervention helped bring the parties to the negotiating table, although efforts to secure a lasting settlement remained challenging.

Under Erdoğan’s leadership, Türkiye has also played a role in peace efforts in the Middle East. Working alongside Qatar and Egypt, Ankara helped mediate Israel-Hamas negotiations and efforts to secure a cease-fire to end Israel’s attacks on Gaza, which began in October 2023.

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