Politics
Germany investigates violence at pro-YPG rallies
German authorities have opened an investigation after two people were injured in a violent incident during a pro-YPG demonstration, amid a series of protests across the country that have escalated into clashes this week.
A 23-year-old man was stabbed with a sharp object and a 20-year-old was beaten when they got into a confrontation with a larger group of demonstration participants, Stuttgart police said in a statement on Friday.
Emergency services transported the 23-year-old to a hospital, while the attackers fled in an unknown direction. Authorities asked witnesses who saw the incident or the assailants to contact the criminal police.
The assault occurred during a demonstration organized on Wednesday evening by supporters of the YPG terrorist group that descended into chaos as protesters repeatedly ignited pyrotechnics and attacked passing vehicles and police officers.
The demonstrators were protesting the Syrian government’s military operations against the YPG, the PKK terrorist group’s Syrian wing, in northeastern Syria. The operations began after the group failed to comply with a cease-fire agreement that required it to withdraw forces east of the Euphrates River and transfer administrative control of key provinces to Damascus.
In Munich, YPG supporters occupied the Social Democratic Party (SPD) office on Thursday evening, protesting Germany’s coalition government for not intervening against Syrian army operations and continuing support to the Syrian government. The demonstrators carried banners of the YPG. Police removed the activists from the building and launched an investigation into trespassing charges.
Earlier on Thursday in Hamburg, pro-YPG supporters blocked railway tracks at the main train station, disrupting long-distance and regional train services. During demonstrations in the city center, tensions frequently arose between protesters and police as demonstrators attempted to display YPG flags. Police deployed a large contingent and accompanied the demonstration with water cannons and riot control vehicles.
Supporters of the YPGp have announced further protests and disruptive actions across the country in the coming days.
German authorities estimate that the YPG and its parent organization, the PKK, have more than 15,000 active followers in the country and are pursuing extensive propaganda activities among the Kurdish immigrant population.
The PKK is classified as an ethno-nationalist and separatist terrorist organization by the EU’s law enforcement agency, Europol, and has been banned in Germany since 1993.
Türkiye on Sunday denounced Israel’s decision to register large areas of the occupied West Bank as “state property,” calling the step a breach of international law and an attempt to expand settlement activity.
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’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the move aims to impose Israel’s “authority over the occupied West Bank and expand settlement activities.”
“This step, which seeks to forcibly displace the Palestinian people from their land and accelerate Israel’s unlawful annexation efforts, constitutes a clear violation of international law and is null and void,” the ministry said.
“Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territories,” the ministry added, saying that the expansionist policies pursued by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government undermine peace efforts and damage prospects for a two-state solution.
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.
Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported that the proposal was submitted by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, and Defense Minister Israel Katz.
“The initial goal is the gradual settlement of 15% of Area C by 2030,” daily Israel Hayom said ahead of the government decision.
Under the Oslo II Accord signed in 1995, Area A is under full Palestinian control, Area B is under Palestinian civil control and Israeli security control, while Area C, accounting for about 61% of the West Bank, remains under full Israeli control.
The Oslo II Accord limits land registration by the Palestinian Authority to Areas A and B, while prohibiting it in Area C.
The move was part of a series of measures approved by Israel’s Security Cabinet last week aimed at expanding illegal settlement building and increasing Tel Aviv’s control of the occupied West Bank.
According to Israeli media, the measures include repealing a law that barred the sale of land in the West Bank to illegal Israeli settlers, unsealing land ownership records, and shifting authority for building permits in a settlement bloc near Hebron from a Palestinian municipality to Israel’s civil administration.
Israel has intensified operations in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since launching its military campaign in Gaza on Oct. 8, 2023. Palestinians view the escalation – including killings, arrests, displacement, and settlement expansion – as a step toward formal annexation of the territory.
In a landmark opinion in July 2024, the International Court of Justice declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory illegal and called for the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a phone call with United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Sunday, the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications said in a statement. The two leaders discussed expanding cooperation and strengthening bilateral ties.
During the call, Erdoğan and Al Nahyan discussed cooperation opportunities between the two countries and steps to further strengthen bilateral relations in line with their common interests and benefiting the people of both sides. The leaders reaffirmed their determination to deepen UAE-Türkiye relations on the basis of the progress made in various areas, particularly in development partnerships. The call also addressed regional and international matters of mutual interest, as well as the latest developments in the region and work undertaken on these developments.
The leaders also noted that a meeting originally planned for this week has been postponed to a later date, saying that they would reschedule it at their earliest convenience.
Erdoğan’s July 2023 visit to the UAE marked a new milestone in relations as the two countries decided to set up a high-level strategic council, essentially recognizing each other as strategic partners. Since then, commercial relations between the two countries significantly increased. Sheikh Mohammed was a guest of Erdoğan last July, co-chairing the first meeting of the council, after Erdoğan’s last visit to his country in February 2024.
The UAE is Türkiye’s biggest trade partner in the Gulf and bilateral trade volume was about $16 billion in 2024. The two countries aim to increase it to $20 billion in the short term and $40 billion in the medium term.
Türkiye and the UAE laid the foundation for a comprehensive economic partnership deal during Erdoğan’s 2022 visit to Abu Dhabi and the deal came into force in September 2023, strengthening commercial deals. The two countries implemented new customs regulations for tax discounts, boosting commercial momentum in the defense industry, energy, logistics, real estate and technology. The UAE was the fourth country with the most Turkish exports last year.
China’s Consulate General in Istanbul hosted a Spring Festival reception last week under the theme “A Heartwarming Spring Festival, Celebrating the Chinese New Year” with the attendance of nearly 500 guests.
Participants included Ambassador Ayşe Sözen Usluer, Istanbul representative of Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry, Istanbul Deputy Governor Mehmet Sülün, consuls general of various countries serving in the city, representatives of the Chinese community in the consular district, officials from Chinese-funded companies and institutions, students and members of the press.
In his remarks, Consul General Wei Xiaodong extended his sincere greetings and best wishes on the occasion of the Spring Festival. He said that under the strategic guidance of the two countries’ leaders, the strategic cooperative relationship between China and Türkiye has continued to develop steadily.
Remarking on the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Türkiye and China, Xiaodong noted that “China-Türkiye relations are entering a more mature new phase. State-to-state relations thrive when peoples grow closer. Looking ahead, we stand ready to further align development strategies with the Turkish side, expand practical cooperation across various fields, and jointly open the second decade of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.”
The consul general also expressed hope to enhance deeper bilateral ties in the new year, offering joint efforts for common development and injecting new momentum into the China-Türkiye friendship.
“In 2025, President Xi Jinping and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a successful meeting on the margins of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in Tianjin, reaching broad consensus on jointly advancing high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, enhancing trade and investment, strengthening cooperation in infrastructure, new energy, agriculture and health care, and promoting exchanges in education and tourism,” he stated.
On the other hand, speaking at the reception, Ambassador Ayşe Sözen Usluer said it was a great pleasure to mark the Chinese New Year, which she described as holding profound significance for the Chinese people. She extended New Year’s greetings to the people of China and to Chinese friends in Türkiye.
Usluer also said the Spring Festival symbolizes renewal, hope and solidarity values, she said are also central to Turkish culture. She underlined that bilateral ties have gained momentum in recent years through high-level contacts and added that China became Türkiye’s largest trading partner as of 2025.
“Under the visionary leadership of President Erdoğan and President Xi Jinping, we continue to develop our bilateral relations in line with mutual respect and to the interests of our peoples, while further strengthening our strategic trust,” she added.
Also known as the Lunar New Year, the Spring Festival is China’s most important traditional holiday, symbolizing family reunions and new beginnings. The reception combined diplomatic engagement with cultural celebration.
The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) was rocked again a new set of scandals last week. A mayor of the party was arrested on sexual harassment of a minor, while a party official stepped down when it was revealed that he chopped down olive trees the CHP had sought to preserve. Moreover, a court in northwestern city of Bursa accepted an indictment for a district mayor from the CHP on charges of widespread corruption.
Much as it strives to portray itself as a bastion of the righteous in Turkish politics, the CHP has failed to shake off its image as a party tainted with infighting and corruption. A 2023 congress that brought the current administration to power in Türkiye’s oldest party pitted stalwarts against newcomers and was at the heart of a lawsuit over alleged vote-buying. In the past two years, the CHP also struggled in the face of a spate of corruption investigations against its mayors, including Istanbul’s Ekrem Imamoğlu. But seemingly more low-key scandals also threaten the party’s unity.
On Monday, the party will convene for referring former mayor of Görele, a town in northern Türkiye, to the Higher Disciplinary Board. The board will likely decide on expulsion of Hasbi Dede, who was arrested on charges of sexual harassment of a 16-year-old girl. The text messages Dede allegedly sent to the girl, the daughter of a municipal employee, were disclosed last week. The Interior Ministry suspended Dede from office after his arrest while some CHP supporters staged a rally outside the courthouse where Dede was taken, in a demonstration of “solidarity” with the mayor. The CHP has been largely silent about the scandal, while media outlets reported that dissidents within the party were angered over this lingering silence, forcing the administration to launch disciplinary proceedings for Dede.
Another scandal would have been conveniently swept under the rug by the CHP administration but the name behind it chose to take action and offered his resignation on Sunday. Ahmet Kılbey, head of the CHP’s branch in Milas, a district of southwestern province of Muğla, announced he would step down on Sunday, the day the party’s leader Özgür Özel would hold a rally in defense of environment there. The CHP claimed that the olive trees in Milas would be trimmed to make way for government projects, citing an impending decision of expropriation of lands there. Yet, a few days before the CHP rally, the Sabah newspaper released a report showing that Kılbey ordered the cutting of olive trees as old as 100 years in his own land in Milas. Kılbey has denied the allegations and claimed that he was not in possession of the land anymore. However, further investigation by journalists showed that he simply handed over the land’s ownership to his son-in-law while it was reported that local authorities issued a fine to Kılbey for cutting the olive trees, an act against regulations and laws for preservation of olive orchards. Kılbey said in a statement on Sunday that he decided to resign “in light of recent developments and in order not to harm (CHP’s) decisive march (to power).”
Elsewhere, the 19th High Criminal Court in Bursa approved an indictment over the weekend against the former mayor of Nilüfer district, Turgay Erdem, and 20 others on charges of corruption and bribery. The CHP politician is accused of running a criminal ring thriving on bribes, along with a top municipal bureaucrat. Erdem was arrested on charges of corruption last October.
The indictment delves into a string of corruption-related incidents, such as bribery by construction company owner H.K. H.K. bribed Erdem’s municipal bureaucrats to secure permits for a hospital project in the Ataevler neighborhood, the indictment says. It includes witness statements and logs of phone messages and videos.
H.K. testified that he initially met with Erdem regarding the construction. Erdem then reportedly summoned Ayşegül E. who was serving as the head of the Nilüfer Municipality Zoning and Urban Planning Department at the time.
According to the indictment, H.K. said the approval process stalled despite the initial meetings. He detailed a specific meeting held in Ayşegül E.’s office, attended by Erdem’s brother, Semih, as well as associates Ufuk T. and Tamer I.
“Ufuk T. told me openly, in front of everyone, that the project would be completed if I gave him $50,000 and his partner Tamer I. $100,000,” H. K. stated. “He said if I didn’t, the project would never pass Ayşegül E.’s approval. He explicitly stated that Mayor Turgay Erdem would not accept any other offer.”
The indictment cites archived WhatsApp conversations found on H.K.’s phone under a contact named “Turgay Erdem.” One message reportedly read: “Mr. Mayor, we did everything you asked. Ayşegül is still expecting something; she says she won’t do it if we don’t meet her expectations. After paying you, we paid Aysegul $200,000, but she still hasn’t issued the permits.”
In later exchanges, Erdem reportedly told the businessman to be patient, saying, “The team is looking into it. They are preparing the report. Have a little patience.”
Subsequent messages from H.K. show him pleading for a resolution: “Mr. Mayor, we paid TL 700,000 for the building inspection. You said, ‘Pay the money and the matter is closed.’ Please, close the matter.”
The investigation also uncovered communications on other defendants’ phones. An unsent message found on Şemsi O.’s device complained about being unable to receive documents for a project despite fulfilling all demands.
Furthermore, a voice recording sent by Aysegül E. to Tamer I. appears to discuss the signing of irregular files. In the recording, she reportedly says she convinced staff to sign off on projects that did not comply with regulations, promising them, “If you sign, I will sign. As your director, I have your back.”
Police photos included in the indictment show stacks of Turkish lira and U.S. dollars discovered in drawers during a search of Tamer I.’s residence.
Prosecutors are seeking up to 10 years for forming and managing a criminal organization, up to 12 years for each of 11 separate counts of bribery.
Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Deputy Chair Kürşad Zorlu said Türkiye aims to unite the diaspora strength of the Turkic world, highlighting growing cooperation among Turkic states in recent years at the 4th European Turkish Media Summit held in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.
The event, organized by the Association of European Turkish Media and Journalists (ATGB), brought together journalists from across Europe, along with politicians and representatives of various civil society organizations.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA) reporters after his address, Zorlu noted that ties among Turkic countries have continued to strengthen and expand, particularly within the framework of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS). He said a key pillar of that progress is bringing together diaspora communities across different countries.
Stating that nearly 20 million Turks live outside Türkiye, Zorlu underlined the importance of media outlets and civil society groups in reinforcing diaspora engagement and coordination.
Referring to global instability and shifting alliances, Zorlu said recent geopolitical fractures and developments in various regions have directly affected Türkiye. He said the country has reached a position where it can take independent decisions, strengthen its national defense industry and respond to crises in its region.
“In response to challenges in our immediate region, Türkiye has become a country that not only acts at home but also takes and follows through on steps in different geographies against crises and chaotic processes. From Africa to the Black Sea, the South Caucasus, the Middle East and Asia, Türkiye has become a trusted mediator whose word and commitment are relied upon in efforts to ease ongoing conflicts,” he said.
Announcing a new initiative, Zorlu said a civil society workshop focused on the Turkic world, first held last year, would be expanded into a large symposium this year. He also unveiled plans for a digital “Turkic World Civil Society Support System,” aimed at bringing together civil society organizations across the Turkic world under a single network linked to Turkish institutions.
Through the platform, he said, organizations will be able to coordinate more effectively and strengthen cooperation across borders.
Touching on Türkiye’s relations with the European Union, it was stated that Ankara views ties with the bloc as strategic and intends to continue on that path.
“We view relations with the European Union as strategically important and we want to continue on this path. However, we also want our friends in Europe to clearly understand this: Türkiye, with its growing strength, expanding population, dynamic structure and rising areas of cooperation with the Turkic states I mentioned, has now become a new and significant center of momentum for the EU as well,” he stressed.
At the end of the program, Zorlu was presented with the “Service to the Turkic World Award.”
Quoting the Defense Ministry, Syria’s state news agency SANA reported on Sunday that the army took over Shaddadi military base with coordination with the United States.
The move follows the U.S. pullout from al-Tanf strategic base after a deal to integrate the U.S.-backed terrorist group YPG into central Syrian institutions.
Syrian and U.S. officials stressed Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity during talks on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference on Friday.
The Syrian delegation, headed by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss key local and regional developments.
Both sides emphasized the unity of Syria, its sovereignty, and the integrity of its territory. The U.S. reaffirmed its support for the Syrian government.
Washington also expressed support for the recent integration agreement between the government and the YPG, as well as Syria’s efforts to combat Daesh.
Syria formally joined the anti-Daesh coalition last November. The coalition was formed in 2014 and has carried out military operations against the terrorist group in Syria and Iraq, though Damascus was not previously a member.
The talks also addressed relations between Syria and the U.S. and ways to develop cooperation in various fields.
The U.S. State Department said in a separate statement on Saturday that Rubio affirmed U.S. support for a Syria that is “stable, at peace” with its neighbors, and protects the rights of all its ethnic and religious minority groups. Rubio “welcomed the Syrian government’s commitment to fully cooperate with the United States and the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS,” deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott said, using another name for Daesh. The secretary of state also emphasized the importance of implementing the permanent cease-fire and integration agreement in northeastern Syria, and ensuring full respect and safety for the rights of all Syrians, Pigott added.
On Jan. 18, the Syrian government and theYPG reached a comprehensive cease-fire and full integration agreement, outlining sweeping measures to restore state authority in the northeast.
Syrian security forces and administrative bodies have entered areas previously controlled by the YPG, including Hassakeh, Qamishli and Ain al-Arab (Kobani), as well as strategic facilities such as airports, oil fields, and border crossings.
The agreement provides for the gradual handover of security responsibilities, the deployment of state institutions, and the integration of YPG forces into official government structures.
The Syrian Army launched an operation against the YPG on Jan. 16 in areas west of the Euphrates River. The operation later expanded east of the river with the participation of tribal forces, leading to all of the territories previously occupied by the group coming under government control.
Last week, Syrian forces took control of the strategic al-Tanf military base near the border with Iraq and Jordan following the withdrawal of a long-standing U.S. troop presence. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) officials have acknowledged that it was an orderly pullout long in planning. Al-Tanf was established at the height of Syrian civil war, a time when Daesh emerged as a major threat in the region. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly signaled a drawdown of U.S. troops in Syria though no full pullout was considered for a long time.
Though official figures are not available, Al-Jazeera reported that the size of the U.S. deployment in Syria significantly declined last year. Currently, 900 troops are in Syria, according to a report from last week.
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