Politics
Bahçeli says no turning back in terror-free Türkiye plan
Devlet Bahçeli, head of government ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), who is credited with launching the terror-free Türkiye initiative, said there is no “turning back” in the plan and it has become “a national, historic goal.”
The initiative aims for the absolute disarmament of the terrorist group PKK, which has killed tens of thousands of people across the country since the 1980s.
The nationalist politician was one of the last names apparently to reach out to the PKK’s jailed ringleader, Abdullah Öcalan, to urge him to dissolve the terrorist group. Despite his hawkish stance against the PKK and Öcalan in the past, Bahçeli relented last year and said the elimination of the PKK with this new initiative will fully eradicate the scourge of terrorism in the country and solidify Turkish-Kurdish unity. Both Bahçeli and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan say the initiative is necessary in the face of rising threats in the region, namely from Israel. They call the PKK a proxy of imperialist forces aiming to destabilize the regional countries. The PKK is active in Iraq and Syria as well.
In an interview published by pro-MHP Türkgün on Tuesday, Bahçeli said any concession to the PKK or any hesitation on their side regarding the initiative was out of the question. “We burned the ships. Our determination is resilient and undisputed,” Bahçeli said.
Bahçeli’s call to Öcalan last year found a response from the PKK ringleader, who urged the PKK to dissolve itself. A few months later, the PKK obeyed and last summer, it started burning down weapons in a symbolic ceremony in northern Iraq. Most recently, the terrorist group announced it withdrew from Türkiye and Zap, a stronghold in Iraq. As Bahçeli’s remarks were published, the pro-PKK Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) announced that a delegation was dispatched to the island prison Imralı, where Öcalan is incarcerated, for a new round of talks with the terrorist leader. A DEM Party delegation has been a regular guest of Imralı since the initiative began, conveying Öcalan’s messages to the public. Recently, a Turkish parliamentary committee set up exclusively for the initiative also sent a delegation to the island for talks with Öcalan.
Bahçeli on Tuesday criticized those seeking to “provoke” the initiative and said their efforts would be futile. “No one has the right to squander this (opportunity). Any opposition to the initiative can be interpreted as a resistance to the nation and the state. We are on the threshold of a historic opportunity,” Bahçeli was quoted.
The veteran politician also criticized the remarks of Hülya Oran, a senior PKK member codenamed “Bese Hozat,” who said the PKK cannot be granted amnesty as part of the initiative, as they did not “commit any crime.” Turkish authorities did not confirm any plans to grant a pardon for surrendering PKK members, but this will likely be the next step in the initiative. Bahçeli said Oran’s remarks were an attempt to sabotage the initiative.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to humanitarian aid worldwide, pledging to continue standing with people in need, particularly in Gaza, as more than 300 million people struggle without access to basic necessities.
Marking World Humanitarian Day in a post on X, Erdoğan said Türkiye would continue setting an example on an issue that transcends politics, drawing strength from its history and deeply rooted civilizational values.
He said Türkiye remains the world’s leading provider of humanitarian assistance relative to its national income.
Erdoğan pointed to the plight of more than 300 million people deprived of their most basic needs and struggling to survive under difficult conditions, saying the scale of suffering presents a reality that calls on the entire international community to shoulder responsibility.
He stressed that coming to the aid of the oppressed, orphans, vulnerable and needy, and standing by those who have no one else, is a responsibility rooted in Türkiye’s religious and humanitarian values.
Erdoğan pledged that Türkiye would continue extending its “hand of compassion” wherever people are in need.
He added that Türkiye would continue supporting those in need across many parts of the world, particularly in Gaza, while offering hope to people facing oppression and hardship.
Through its state and non-state organizations and institutions Türkiye has been a leading international donor of humanitarian assistance. Turkish assistance has been delivered to across five continents through operations coordinated by the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD). The assistance, including providing food, shelter, medical supplies, financial assistance and search and rescue equipment to regions affected by wars and natural disasters, has reached to more than 85 countries and communities worldwide.
Among these operations, Gaza has been the largest recipient of Turkish international humanitarian assistance, where AFAD has coordinated the delivery of 109,332 tons of aid through 14 aircraft and 21 ships following Israeli attacks on the enclave.
In addition, AFAD dispatched 25 “Kindness Trains” carrying 11,739 tons of humanitarian supplies to Afghanistan, alongside six cargo flights; in Sudan, six ships delivered 10,206 tons of aid and 30,000 tents, while Pakistan received 9,079 tons of humanitarian assistance. Additional shipments included 3,000 tons of aid to Somalia and 730 tons to Lebanon.
Nearly 15,000 humanitarian aid trucks have also crossed into Syria, making it one of Türkiye’s largest long-term relief operations.
More recent disaster response missions have included 30 tons of humanitarian aid sent to Venezuela following the powerful earthquakes that struck the country in June. The shipment, transported aboard two military cargo aircraft, included 275 tents and 7 tons of medical supplies. Türkiye also supported Spain after severe flooding by sending 250 large-capacity waste containers and two street-cleaning vehicles to assist recovery efforts.
Alongside AFAD, the Turkish Red Crescent (Kızılay) and other Turkish humanitarian organizations have expanded Türkiye’s global relief efforts. Kızılay said it reached 32.9 million people worldwide in 2025, including 11.2 million people abroad, delivering more than 20,000 tons of humanitarian aid and over 10 million hot meals in Gaza while continuing operations in Syria, Sudan, Afghanistan, Niger and Uganda.
Türkiye on Wednesday rejected any legal implications from Greece’s newly announced renewable energy spatial plan in the Aegean Sea, stressing that unilateral initiatives cannot alter Ankara’s longstanding legal position on disputes between the two neighbors.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Öncü Keçeli said Greece’s “Special Spatial Framework for Renewable Energy Sources,” announced Wednesday and covering the Aegean Sea, would have no legal consequences for Türkiye regarding the interconnected disputes between Ankara and Athens.
He said this also applied to geographical formations whose sovereignty has not been transferred to Greece under international treaties.
“These and similar initiatives will not affect Türkiye’s legal position regarding Aegean issues,” Keçeli said.
The spokesperson reiterated Ankara’s position that unilateral actions should be avoided in enclosed or semi-enclosed seas such as the Aegean and Mediterranean, noting that international maritime law encourages cooperation among coastal states.
Keçeli stressed that Türkiye, as one of the two coastal states of the Aegean, remains ready to cooperate with Greece.
He also reaffirmed Ankara’s commitment to resolving outstanding disputes through international law, equity and good-neighborly relations under the Athens Declaration on Friendly Relations and Good-Neighbourliness signed on Dec. 7, 2023.
Türkiye’s communications director Burhanettin Duran said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s threats and accusations against Türkiye and Syria reflect his government’s growing international isolation and domestic political concerns, pledging Ankara would continue opposing policies that threaten regional stability.
Responding to questions from Anadolu Agency (AA) about Netanyahu’s recent remarks targeting Türkiye, Duran said the Israeli leader was attempting to portray regional countries as threats to divert attention from criticism of his government’s policies.
“The threats and lies Netanyahu voiced against Türkiye and Syria in an interview are a new reflection of the Israeli prime minister’s growing international isolation, political fears and delusions,” Duran noted.
He said Netanyahu’s efforts to create what he called “imaginary threats and enemies” no longer had a significant impact on international public opinion, arguing that opposition to Israel’s policies was increasing.
Duran stressed Netanyahu was using hostility toward Türkiye as a political “lifeline” amid domestic concerns and approaching elections, while competing with more radical political factions in Israel.
He accused Netanyahu’s government of pursuing aggressive policies stretching from Gaza to Syria and Lebanon and of tolerating settler violence in the occupied Palestinian territories.
“The problem is not that people do not sufficiently understand Israeli policies, but that more and more people understand and reject them,” Duran said, adding that accusations against regional countries and large-scale public relations campaigns were therefore producing limited results.
Asked whether Netanyahu’s rhetoric could signal an expansion of Israeli military action toward Türkiye, he noted regional countries and the international community were increasingly opposing what Ankara sees as an Israeli strategy that fuels wider conflict.
“The entire region is coming together against a strategic destabilizing actor,” he said.
Duran argued that the Netanyahu government had largely abandoned diplomacy and dialogue, saying its approach increasingly equated security with continued military action rather than regional stability.
Türkiye’s opposition to those policies, he underlined, stems not from Ankara posing a threat to Israel but from Türkiye’s regional influence and its stance against actions that it believes undermine security and stability.
Duran also pointed to criticism of Netanyahu within Israel, saying opposition figures had described his anti-Türkiye rhetoric as irresponsible and damaging.
He described Türkiye as an experienced regional power and NATO member that has strengthened both its diplomatic influence and defense capabilities.
The Israeli government should instead pursue a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and refrain from further destabilizing actions, Duran said.
Asked how Ankara would respond to Israel’s policies, Duran said Türkiye would continue supporting countries pursuing peaceful policies in the region, particularly Syria.
“We are a cautious, coolheaded and powerful country,” he said, adding that Türkiye had the ability to protect its national security while avoiding what he described as attempts to drag the region into further confrontation.
“Türkiye will never allow anyone to disturb the peace of our nation and our friends,” he emphasized.
Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz reaffirmed Ankara’s support for Turkish Cypriots and their political cause as Türkiye and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) signed an additional protocol Thursday on a fiber-optic infrastructure project aimed at accelerating the island’s digital transformation.
Yılmaz met TRNC Prime Minister Ünal Üstel and representatives of the coalition government at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, where the two sides discussed bilateral relations, ongoing development projects and cooperation in energy and digital infrastructure.
Speaking at a joint news conference after the meeting, Yılmaz reiterated Türkiye’s long-standing position on Cyprus, saying Ankara would continue to stand by Turkish Cypriots.
“Türkiye, as the motherland and guarantor, will always stand with the Turkish Cypriot people in line with its historic responsibility on the Cyprus issue, which is our national cause,” Yılmaz said. “It will continue to defend the just cause of the Turkish Cypriots on every platform and mobilize all its resources to ensure their prosperity and peace.”
Yılmaz also emphasized Türkiye would continue supporting projects designed to improve living standards in the TRNC under the 2026 Economic and Financial Cooperation Agreement.
“These projects serve to increase the welfare of the Turkish Cypriot people, enable young people to look to the future with greater confidence and help the TRNC reach better days,” Yılmaz noted.
He pointed to a memorandum of understanding signed on July 10 on supplying natural gas to the TRNC as part of a broader effort to deepen cooperation in areas including energy, connectivity, digitalization, education, transportation and health.
Yılmaz said Türkiye and the TRNC would continue working together despite what Ankara describes as the international isolation of Turkish Cypriots.
“As long as we act in unity of mind and heart, there is no difficulty we cannot overcome and no obstacle we cannot surmount,” he said. “Although our Turkish Cypriot brothers and sisters are being subjected to unjust isolation, we will continue working together for the development of the TRNC.”
A major focus of Thursday’s talks was the fiber-optic project, which Yılmaz described as strategically important for the TRNC’s digital future.
He said concerns had previously been raised over some provisions of the project’s implementation protocol and that the two sides had worked on revisions addressing the concerns of Turkish Cypriot institutions. Yılmaz and Üstel signed an additional protocol clarifying those provisions and strengthening the framework for implementation.
“The fiber project is a strategic development initiative that will reinforce the TRNC’s digital sovereignty, increase its economic strength and strengthen its connections with the world,” Yılmaz stressed.
The infrastructure is expected to improve service quality and lower costs for residents and businesses while expanding access to digital technologies. The project would also help Turkish Cypriot entrepreneurs reach global markets and allow public services to be delivered more efficiently and securely, he remarked.
Yılmaz underlined that Ankara viewed digital connectivity as another way to counter the isolation faced by Turkish Cypriots.
“We are strengthening the TRNC’s ties with the world through the opportunities offered by the most advanced technologies,” he stated.
Üstel, for his part, said relations between Türkiye and the TRNC were rooted in historical ties, a common struggle and a shared vision for the future.
He noted energy and digital infrastructure would be among the main pillars of a new phase in bilateral relations.
“The fiber-optic infrastructure investment whose additional protocol we signed today is not merely a high-speed internet project for us,” Üstel said. “It is a strategic investment that will form the basic infrastructure of our country’s digital transformation.”
The prime minister said the project would affect sectors ranging from public administration and education to health care, tourism, trade and finance.
The infrastructure would strengthen the government’s capacity to produce, collect and analyze data while improving digital security and facilitating faster decision-making based on reliable information, he noted.
Üstel added that the project would provide the foundation for a stronger e-government system and greater digital integration among public institutions.
“This transformation will also be one of the fundamental steps in our vision of becoming an information technology island,” he said. “With the additional protocol signed today, we are effectively launching this important transformation.”
The fiber project was launched between Türkiye and the TRNC on July 11, 2025. Yılmaz and Üstel said the additional protocol would move implementation forward as the two sides seek to expand economic integration and digital connectivity.
Üstel also thanked President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for Ankara’s continued support, saying political stability and close cooperation between the two governments had helped turn major infrastructure projects into concrete initiatives.
Türkiye and Moldova are seeking to deepen bilateral cooperation while supporting the economic, social and cultural development of the autonomous Gagauzia region, a senior official from Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) said during talks with Moldovan leaders on
Kürşad Zorlu, AK Party deputy chair responsible for relations with Turkic states, met Moldovan President Maia Sandu during a visit to the capital Chisinau, where he said relations between the two countries continued to expand.
Zorlu said Türkiye was closely following developments in Gagauzia and would continue contributing to efforts aimed at supporting the region’s economic and social development, preserving its cultural heritage and strengthening its ties with Moldova.
He also invited Sandu to attend the COP31 U.N. climate summit, which Türkiye is set to host in November.
Sandu said Moldova attached significant importance to its relations with Türkiye and welcomed Ankara’s growing international role. She said Gagauzia’s constitutional rights and autonomous status would be protected and expressed readiness for high-level cooperation with Türkiye on the region.
Sandu also said she looked forward to opening a vocational high school built by Türkiye together with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Zorlu separately met Moldovan Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu, with talks focusing on Türkiye’s regional role, the Russia-Ukraine war and Moldova’s territorial integrity.
Despite wars and major upheavals in its neighborhood, Türkiye has continued to strengthen its position while seeking to contribute to peace and stability through mediation efforts, Zorlu noted.
Addressing the war in Ukraine, Zorlu said Türkiye maintained relations with Russia while pursuing a policy aimed at ending the war and supporting Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
“In this context, Moldova’s territorial integrity is undoubtedly also very important to us,” he stressed.
Zorlu also held talks with Prime Minister Vasile Tofan, saying Türkiye-Moldova relations were developing rapidly on the basis of mutual trust, friendship and shared interests.
He reiterated Ankara’s support for Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and highlighted growing economic ties. Bilateral trade has reached the countries’ $1 billion target, Zorlu said, adding that the two sides hoped to set a new goal and further expand economic relations.
Gagauzia, an autonomous region in southern Moldova populated predominantly by the Gagauz, a Turkic-speaking Orthodox Christian people, has long served as an important dimension of Türkiye-Moldova relations.
Zorlu said Türkiye could pursue joint investments in Gagauzia alongside initiatives supporting the Gagauz language and culture, stressing that the region’s prosperity could not be separated from Moldova’s broader stability.
Tofan thanked Türkiye for its projects and support in Moldova and described Gagauzia as an important bridge between the two countries.
Zorlu later met Foreign Ministry State Secretary Carolina Perebinos for talks on future cooperation, reiterating Türkiye’s support for Moldova’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
He said Moldova’s stability and prosperity were important for broader regional peace and security.
Following his meetings in Chisinau, Zorlu traveled with his delegation to Comrat, the capital of Gagauzia, for further talks and visits.
In December 1994, Moldova’s Parliament offered some 160,000 Turkic Gagauz people within its borders a large degree of autonomy in order to create a favorable environment for maintaining a national identity and culture.
In 2020, Türkiye opened a consulate in Comrat, the capital of Moldova’s Gagauzia, becoming the first country ever to do so in the territory.
The U.S. is seeking to establish a military coordination mechanism involving Türkiye, Syria and Israel to reduce the risk of further escalation, Washington’s Syria envoy Tom Barrack said Tuesday following an Israeli strike on a Syrian air base near the Turkish border.
Barrack, who is also U.S. ambassador to Türkiye, said Türkiye had not been warned about the Israeli strikes, “and consequently observed the aircraft heading north toward its territory and therefore could have reasonably prepared its own response,” referring to possible Turkish military reaction.
“Thankfully, calm heads were able to prevent the situation from deteriorating further,” Barrack told Reuters in a phone interview.
Türkiye condemned Israeli strikes on the Abu al-Dahur airbase in northwestern Syria but did not comment further, including about a potential deconfliction mechanism.
A deconfliction mechanism is a communications channel intended to prevent misunderstandings or accidental confrontations between military or political actors.
Tensions have grown between Israel and Türkiye, both of which border Syria, amid Israel’s expansionist and aggressive policies that violate international law.
Türkiye, which has NATO’s second-largest army and signed a mutual defense pact this month with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, has become one of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s main allies.
Ankara has been training Syria’s army, helping it rebuild state institutions and infrastructure and providing military and diplomatic support.
Israel’s strikes on the Syrian airbase “reflected a perception – whether accurate or misplaced – that Türkiye might in the near future increase its presence at that base,” Barrack said.
“This underscores the need for a deconfliction mechanism involving Israel, Syria and Türkiye. That is something we are actively working on to establish in order to prevent future miscommunication,” he said. “The priority now is to lower tensions and allow space for a more measured approach.”
The airbase, about 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) east of the Turkish border, has been out of service as a dedicated military airfield since 2013 and changed hands several times during Syria’s 14-year civil war between forces loyal to former regime leader Bashar Assad and opposition factions.
Syria’s state-run Ekhbariya television, citing a military source, said on Tuesday that Israel carried out eight airstrikes on the base’s runway and storage facilities. A separate military source and a civilian who lives near the base said there were no casualties.
The Israeli military declined to comment on the strikes.
Israel has for years struck targets in Syria to curb what it says is Iranian influence and to prevent weapons from reaching Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Since Assad’s overthrow in 2024, it has also viewed Syria’s new rulers with suspicion and continued military attacks in the country, most recently attacking government sites in southern and central Syria in March.
Syria and Israel have held several rounds of de-escalation and border discussions since anti-regime forces under Syrian President al-Sharaa’s command toppled Assad, but no agreement has been reached.
“An incident of the kind that occurred this morning demonstrates the need to intensify these efforts and expand the process,” Barrack said.
The envoy said the U.S. already facilitates an information-sharing and dialogue mechanism among the parties.
“What is required is a more robust architecture with greater resources committed to it. Investing in such mechanisms is far less costly than relying on kinetic means of communication that can run into the hundreds of millions of dollars,” he said, referring to military force.
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