Politics
Türkiye stages military funeral for Libyan officers killed in plane crash
Türkiye on Saturday held a military funeral for five Libyan officers, including western Libya’s military chief, who died in a plane crash in Ankara earlier this week.
The private jet with Gen. Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad, four other military officers and three crew members crashed on Tuesday after taking off from Türkiye’s capital, killing everyone on board. Libyan officials said the cause of the crash was a technical malfunction on the plane.
Al-Hadad was the top military commander in western Libya and played a crucial role in the ongoing, U.N.-brokered efforts to unify Libya’s military.
The high-level Libyan delegation was on its way back to Tripoli, Libya’s capital, after holding defense talks in Ankara aimed at boosting military cooperation between the two countries.
Saturday’s ceremony was held at 8:00 a.m. local time at the Murted Airfield base, near Ankara, and attended by the Turkish military chief and the defense minister. The five caskets, each wrapped in a Libyan national flag, were then loaded onto a plane to be returned to their home country.
Türkiye’s military chief, Selçuk Bayraktaroğlu, was also on the plane headed to Libya, state-run news agency TRT reported.
The bodies recovered from the crash site were kept at the Ankara Forensic Medicine Institute for identification. Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç told reporters their DNA was compared to family members who joined a 22-person delegation that arrived from Libya after the crash.
Tunç also said Germany was asked to help examine the jet’s black boxes as an impartial third party.
Libya plunged into chaos after the country’s 2011 uprising toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The country split, with rival administrations in the east and west, backed by an array of rogue militias and different foreign governments.
Türkiye has been the main backer of Libya’s government in the west, but has recently taken steps to improve ties with the eastern-based government.
Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş urged caution against social transformations affecting family dynamics.
Addressing the Human Rights and Family Summit organized by the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) on Tuesday in Ankara, Göktaş underlined the need for protection of the family institution.
“The family is a central structure in the survival of society, an institution sustaining values and connecting generations with each other,” she said.
Türkiye declared 2025 as the “Year of the Family” and seeks to strengthen the institution both to preserve moral values and address the issue of an aging population.
Göktaş told the summit that urbanization, longer working hours and digitalization were among the factors pushing against the strength of the family.
“In addition, we face a global cultural pressure where identity and roles in the family are blurred through degenderizing,” she said. The minister said the ministry pursues reinforcing a family-friendly ecosystem and adaptive approaches that preserve the family. She noted that the government offered incentives to encourage marriages and children.
A looming population crisis and the state of the family dominate the government’s agenda in Türkiye, where the number of households without children accounts for 57% of total households in the country.
With the population replacement rate at 2.1, Türkiye has fallen below this critical threshold, with the total fertility rate declining to 1.48. Supporting fertility and family formation has become a vital necessity for the country.
Following last year’s designation as the “Year of the Family,” authorities decided to pursue family-centered policies over a 10-year period, maintaining a mobilization-style approach to population issues. Under the “Decade of Family and Population,” efforts to introduce new work models that allow women to balance work and family life remain on the agenda, while initiatives to expand the nationwide child care network have accelerated.
Hakan Fidan discussed the latest developments in Palestine during a phone conversation on Monday with his Jordanian counterpart, Ayman Safadi, Turkish diplomatic sources said.
The two ministers exchanged views on the latest developments in Palestine, the sources said.
No further information was provided regarding the phone conversation.
Earlier Sunday, the Israeli government approved a proposal to register vast areas of the occupied West Bank as “state property,” the first such measure since Israel occupied the territory in 1967.
Türkiye called on the international community to take a firm stance against Israeli attempts to create facts on the ground.
The ministry said Türkiye will continue to support efforts to “establish an independent, sovereign and contiguous” Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre on Monday hailed the launch of Türkiye’s deep-sea drilling mission off the coast of Somalia as a “historic” step, as Ankara’s deep-sea drillship Çağrı Bey makes its way to begin its first overseas mission.
“Today, with Çağrı Bey, we may be witnessing the beginning of something greater – the opening chapter of real economic transformation,” Barre wrote on his X account.
He described the mission as a moment when Somalia’s natural wealth begins to drive national strength and deliver the long-awaited impact for the people.
“Generations of our people have grown up hearing that Somalia is rich in resources; yet for decades, they have waited to see that promise fulfilled. That wait is ending. Better days are on the horizon,” Barre said.
He praised Somalia’s “Turkish brothers,” led by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, for choosing Somalia as the first destination of the historic mission.
“This decision is more than strategic – it is a symbol of trust crossing distances and a testament to the evolving partnership between Türkiye and Somalia, rooted in brotherhood and a shared belief in a better tomorrow,” he added.
Çağrı Bey, which departed from the southern port of Taşucu in Mersin province on Sunday, is expected to reach Mogadishu in about 45 days and begin drilling in April at the Curad-1 well.
Türkiye and Somalia signed agreements in 2024 covering onshore and offshore oil and gas exploration. The seismic vessel Oruç Reis previously completed surveys in three offshore blocks.
Security forces on Tuesday apprehended 88 suspects linked to the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), the culprit of a 2016 coup attempt.
Suspects were targets of operations that were a culmination of two separate investigations in Istanbul and central Türkiye’s Kayseri.
Kayseri police, in coordination with the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), launched operations in four cities, including Kayseri, Istanbul, Adana and Mersin, after eight months of surveillance. A total of 70 suspects were captured in operations. Along with unlicensed guns, police found hidden video and audio recorders in raided locations, along with printed and digital propaganda material, security sources said.
In Istanbul, the Chief Prosecutor’s Office announced on Tuesday that 18 suspects, including 16 public official,s were detained in operations against FETÖ in eight cities. The office said suspects were identified through a FETÖ database supplied by a secret eyewitness codenamed “Garson” and logs of encrypted messages between suspects.
“Garson,” a former member of the group, delivered an encrypted database of the group to police years ago. MIT deciphered the database in six years and discovered 3,000 infiltrators of FETÖ within the Turkish National Police. Statements of “Garson” indicate that FETÖ maintained surveillance on 320,000 members of the police force for 16 years, up until its notorious first attempt to topple the government in December 2013. Speaking about the lists, “Garson” told investigators that they were created by the group’s handlers of infiltrators within law enforcement and they were regularly presented to FETÖ leadership, to give insight about the scope of their infiltration. The lists contain all details about officers in terms of their affiliation with the group and rate them on their “loyalty.”
The Chief Prosecutor’s Office in Istanbul said Tuesday’s operations also netted two “secret imams” of FETÖ, handlers of infiltrators, and 16 other suspects who were public officials loyal to those so-called imams. Operations were held in Istanbul, Ankara, Elazığ, Gaziantep, Kastamonu, Kayseri and Samsun to capture the suspects.
Hüseyin Yayman, deputy chair of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), stressed on Monday that no early elections will be held in 2026 or early 2027, dismissing opposition calls for a snap vote and reiterating that the next general elections are scheduled for 2028.
Yayman told a party meeting in the western province of Uşak that elections would take place on time in 2028, according to remarks carried by local media.
“Türkiye will not have early elections in 2026 or at the beginning of 2027,” Yayman said, accusing the opposition of repeatedly raising the issue after losing multiple contests over the past two decades.
Speaking at an expanded provincial advisory council meeting organized by the party’s Uşak branch, Yayman said the AK Party had entered a period of consolidation and renewal following the March 31 local elections. He added that opinion polls show the party remains in first place and that it is working under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to widen its lead.
Yayman said the ruling party focuses on “the people and the streets” rather than on its main opposition, the Republican People’s Party (CHP). He criticized CHP-run municipalities, alleging mismanagement and wasteful spending despite ongoing urban challenges such as water shortages and traffic congestion.
He underlined the AK Party’s record in power, pointing to investments in transportation, health care and other public services. Türkiye has drawn admiration from abroad, he said, while accusing the opposition of engaging in disinformation and perception campaigns that undermine the country’s development and global standing.
On the timing of the next presidential vote, Yayman suggested that Parliament could decide to bring elections forward by a few months, potentially to October or November 2028, to facilitate President Erdoğan’s candidacy. He stressed, however, that any such decision would rest with the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TBMM).
Yayman also addressed the government’s “Terror-Free Türkiye” initiative, describing it as a state and national policy rather than a negotiation or concession process. He said a parliamentary commission chaired by Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş was expected to convene midweek and present a report outlining further steps.
As NATO charts a future with rebalancing ties with its main founder, the United States, Türkiye figures heavily into this future as a major contributor to the international alliance. On Wednesday, it will mark the 74th anniversary of joining the body, three years after its foundation.
Along with Greece, Türkiye joined the alliance in the latter’s first move to expand membership. Today, NATO has 32 members and Türkiye stands out among them with the second-largest army in the alliance. Its capabilities in the defense industry, contributions to the alliance’s operations and missions bring Türkiye to the spotlight at a time of heightened tensions across the world.
Türkiye’s recent leaps in the local defense industry attract attention among NATO countries. Türkiye hosts more than 3,500 defense companies, a stark contrast to about 2,800 companies in 29 NATO member countries. Battle-tested unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVS) manufactured by Turkish companies in particular earned a worldwide reputation. Türkiye currently holds a 65% share in the global UAV market. Between 2020 and 2024, Türkiye ranked 11th in the world in defense exports.
The country’s strategic location also makes it an indispensable ally at the forefront of combat against security risks. The active role of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) in counterterrorism also makes Türkiye one of the most experienced armies in NATO in field work. Elsewhere, Türkiye is the top contributor to NATO’s Kosovo Force (KFOR), which it currently leads.
Among 32 allies, Türkiye ranks seventh in contributing to the alliance’s budget. Its total contribution is expected to amount to 300 million euros (just over $355 million) this year and to rise to 620 million euros in 2030.
Currently, the TSK is taking part in NATO’s biggest exercise this year, Steadfast Dart 2026. Some 2,000 Turkish troops, the largest Turkish military presence in Europe since Ottoman times, are participating in the exercise that will conclude on Feb. 20. Along with troops, the locally-made TCG Anadolu naval vessel is participating in the exercise. NATO’s Media Information Center on Monday highlighted Türkiye’s contribution to the exercise with a focus on Turkish medical units. “The unit is providing vital, wide-ranging medical support during the exercise (in Germany).
“The Turkish Medical Unit, part of the 66th Mechanized Infantry Brigade, can deliver immediate life-saving medical care in operational areas, including the management of trauma, gunshot and blast injuries, airway emergencies, severe bleeding, and other critical conditions. The specialized personnel within the unit are trained to initiate advanced medical treatment rapidly in austere and high-risk environments,” the center said in an article published on its website.
In Bosnia-Herzegovina, Türkiye is the only non-EU top contributor of European Union peacekeeping force, EUFOR Althea. Since July 2025, Türkiye also chairs the command of NATO’s Allied Reaction Force (ARF), Amphibious Task Force and Landing Force.
Türkiye adds strategic value to NATO not only through its critical role on the alliance’s southeastern flank, but also by providing access to the Black Sea, the Middle East and the Eastern Mediterranean.
With its military, Türkiye makes a significant contribution to NATO’s deterrence and serves as an important part of the Euro-Atlantic security architecture. Its geographic proximity to regional crises greatly enhances NATO’s rapid response capability.
NATO also provides significant support for Türkiye’s defense. Alliance membership strengthens Türkiye’s military modernization and international cooperation opportunities, while intelligence sharing and early warning systems support Türkiye’s national security.
Although it has started courting NATO’s traditional rivals more in recent years, Türkiye is firmly aligned with the alliance, as its leaders repeatedly confirmed.
An international survey by the Pew Research Center published in 2024 found that Turks had a favorable view of the military alliance. Although unfavorable views of the bloc were higher than favorable opinions (at 46%), 42% of people interviewed for the survey favored it, a considerable rise from 18% support in the first edition of the survey in 2011.
Initially rejected by some members, the country, which sought protection against the Soviet Union, was finally accepted after it pledged to send troops to support the United States in the Korean War.
Türkiye also hosts critical NATO facilities, including Allied Land Command, which is located in the western city of Izmir, and Rapid Deployable Corps, which is based in Istanbul. In the capital, Ankara, it hosts the Centre of Excellence for Defence Against Terrorism (COE-DAT) and the Partnership for Peace Training Center. Istanbul hosts the NATO Maritime Security Centre of Excellence (MARSEC COE).
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