Politics
Türkiye warns Syria should not deviate from unity road map
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Wednesday that it was time for Syria to spend time on the welfare of its people, as he hailed a deal between Damascus and the U.S.-backed terrorist group YPG while speaking at a Justice and Development Party (AK Party) parliamentary group meeting in the capital Ankara.
Erdoğan said Türkiye was closely following the developments on the ground and warned that the current process should not be disrupted.
“We will not abandon our Syrian brothers and sisters until joy prevails in Hassakeh, Qamishli, Ain al-Arab,” he stressed, referring to Syrian provinces occupied by the terrorist group that Syrian security forces recently entered under the new deal.
He also stressed the need for cooperation among the country’s diverse communities after decades of conflict, noting that the outlines of a long-term settlement are becoming clearer and cautioning parties against repeating past mistakes.
“The road map for lasting peace in Syria has been set; parties must avoid miscalculations, repeating past mistakes or poisoning the process with maximalist demands,” said Erdoğan.
Highlighting the human cost of the war, Erdoğan added: “Every drop of blood shed breaks our hearts, regardless of whether it is Arab, Turkmen, Kurd, or Nusayri; every life lost in Syria feels like losing a part of ourselves.”
He also called for a shift toward reconstruction and economic recovery. “It is time for Syria’s resources and above- and below-ground wealth to be used for the prosperity of all sectors of society, not for digging tunnels under cities,” he said.
Addressing regional concerns, Erdoğan rejected claims that Türkiye seeks dominance, saying: “Türkiye is not seeking influence in the region and has no desire to shape other countries; on the contrary, we sincerely seek fellowship.”
He also welcomed what he described as shared sensitivities with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan on Syria’s future, saying Türkiye would work together with those countries to support stability in the country.
Reaffirming Ankara’s long-standing position on the Syrian crisis, he stressed that violence only breeds further violence and warned against actions that could undermine emerging progress.
The president underlined the importance of implementing the Jan. 18 and Jan. 30 agreements on the basis of “one army, one state, one Syria,” saying the framework for permanent peace and stability has become clearer.
He also said Türkiye had witnessed what he called sincere efforts by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to rebuild the country, noting that recent operations had generated both support for the new administration and high expectations among locals.
Erdoğan voiced confidence that the Syrian government would ensure broad political participation and rapidly implement an effective development plan, adding that Türkiye would continue closely monitoring developments in Syria, with which it shares its longest land border.
Erdoğan also said that during recent operations in Syria, he ordered the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), the Turkish Red Crescent and humanitarian groups to mobilize rapidly, sending truckloads of aid supplies, in coordination with the Syrian government, to Kurdish-populated areas in an initial phase.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan received a Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) delegation, including Turkish Parliament Deputy Speaker Pervin Buldan and Van lawmaker Mithat Sancar, at the Presidential Complex in Ankara on Wednesday.
In a written statement released after the meeting, the delegation said discussions focused on recent developments in the region and their implications for Türkiye’s domestic political climate and the broader peace process.
“The determination to continue the process was once again mutually reaffirmed,” the statement said.
The delegation emphasized the need for concrete and confidence-building steps in the process, calling on Parliament, relevant ministries and public institutions to intensify their efforts.
It also highlighted the importance of preparing a report by the National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Commission with an inclusive approach that would provide a solid foundation for democratization and expanded freedoms as part of the terror-free initiative.
The commission was formed in August to tackle the terror-free Türkiye initiative for the disarmament of the PKK terrorist group. It is expected to lay out a road map to Parliament for legislative or other regulations for the next stage of the initiative. The PKK’s disarmament has been a unilateral process, but political parties participating in the committee suggested that new regulations may be enacted to facilitate the process, especially lenient sentencing for PKK members not involved in acts of terrorism.
The statement also underlined the necessity of establishing a comprehensive legal framework without delay and through the broadest possible consensus, arguing that such a framework would serve as a cornerstone for Türkiye’s democratic future and ensure participation from all segments of society.
The delegation said it believes the meeting, held at a time of significant global and regional political developments, would contribute to peaceful coexistence in Türkiye and the wider region. It thanked President Erdoğan for receiving the delegation.
National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Director Ibrahim Kalın and Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Deputy Chairperson Efkan Ala also attended the meeting.
Authorities in Germany arrested two men suspected of connections to the PKK terrorist group and confiscated several illegal firearms and a significant quantity of drugs, local media reported Thursday.
According to Bild daily, the investigation began when police officers in the eastern city of Leipzig stopped a taxi during a routine traffic check on Saturday evening.
The passenger, identified as 23-year-old Numan K., attempted to flee but was apprehended. Officers found five unregistered 9 mm pistols with ammunition in his bag.
Authorities then searched an apartment shared by Numan K. and a second suspect, 56-year-old Metin B., where they discovered additional unregistered weapons and more than 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of crystal methamphetamine, according to the report.
Authorities were investigating the suspects’ ties to the terrorist group PKK and whether they may have been planning terror attacks, particularly in light of Metin B.’s recent social media posts supporting the PKK and its affiliate, the YPG, in northeastern Syria.
German authorities estimate that the PKK and the YPG have more than 15,000 active followers in the country, many of them pursuing extensive propaganda activities among the Kurdish immigrant population. Germany banned the PKK in 1993. Europol, the EU’s law enforcement agency, classifies it as an ethno-nationalist and separatist terrorist organization.
Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that some Iraqi media outlets misrepresented Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan’s recent remarks, reiterating Ankara’s commitment to Iraq’s territorial integrity and continued cooperation with Baghdad on security and counterterrorism.
Fidan’s comments, made during an interview, had been taken out of context, ministry spokesperson Öncü Keçeli’s statement stressed.
“It appears that certain statements made by H.E. Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, during an interview on a television channel on Feb. 9, 2026 have been distorted by some media outlets in Iraq,” the statement said.
It emphasized that Türkiye has established institutional, constructive, and productive cooperation with Iraq in almost all fields, including security and counterterrorism, and aims to further advance this cooperation in the period ahead.
“The statements made by Minister Fidan in the aforementioned interview, based on this understanding of cooperation, are intended to draw attention to the threat posed to Iraq’s territorial integrity and security by the PKK terrorist organization, which has established itself in parts of Iraqi territory, particularly in Sinjar, Makhmur, and Qandil,” it added.
In this context, it said, Fidan highlighted Türkiye’s determination to ensure the complete eradication of the terrorist organization from Iraqi territory, as in Syria, and the necessity of sustaining and further strengthening existing cooperation with the Iraqi administration in this field.
“We therefore reject the distortion of Minister Fidan’s statements by certain circles, taken out of context and portrayed as interference in Iraq’s internal affairs,” the statement said.
It also reiterated Ankara’s support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Iraq.
Türkiye’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) is facing mounting internal turmoil after a wave of resignations by mayors and municipal council members over the past two years.
According to a report in Turkish newspaper Sabah, since the last local elections in March 2024, 30 mayors have parted ways with the party following disagreements with the leadership, while 66 municipal council members have also resigned, according to party figures. Some of the departing mayors chose to remain independent, while others joined rival parties.
The latest resignation came from Mesut Özarslan, mayor of Ankara district Keçiören, who left the party along with seven municipal council members. His departure marked the newest chapter in what critics describe as an ongoing crisis within CHP-run municipalities.
Ahead of the 2024 local elections, CHP leader Özgür Özel said the party had benefited from artificial intelligence tools in determining candidates, remarks that drew public attention at the time. Following the recent resignations, those comments have resurfaced in criticism of the party’s candidate selection process.
Among the high-profile departures discussed publicly were Aydın Mayor Özlem Çerçioğlu, Beykoz Deputy Mayor Özlem Vural Gürzel, Şehitkamil Mayor Umut Yılmaz and Karkamış Mayor Mustafa Güzel.
Resigning officials have cited pressure from the party’s headquarters as a key reason for their decisions. Critics argue that the leadership has adopted a strict stance toward dissenting voices and shown little tolerance for internal criticism, contributing to fractures at the local level.
Tensions escalated further after Malatya’s Yazıhan Mayor Abdulvahap Göçer was referred to the party’s disciplinary board following critical remarks. Göçer called for the party to rid itself of corruption and alleged misconduct, claims that intensified internal debate.
Since taking office after the party’s contentious 2023 congress, Özel and his leadership team have faced scrutiny over disciplinary measures targeting members who call for investigations into alleged irregularities. In 2025, hundreds of party members were reportedly referred to disciplinary proceedings, with several prominent figures expelled.
Hours before he met a delegation from the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan lauded the accomplishments of the terror-free Türkiye initiative for the disarmament of the terrorist group PKK.
“We have successfully conducted the process for over the past 16 months despite sabotage attempts. At times, we took risks but reached the current stage without any trouble,” Erdoğan told the parliamentary group meeting of his Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in Ankara on Wednesday.
“The committee at Parliament is about to complete its report, and our Parliament will continue working in this new stage of the process,” Erdoğan added.
After the AK Party meeting ended, Erdoğan hosted Pervin Buldan and Mithat Sancar, two lawmakers from the party linked to the PKK. Buldan and Sancar are part of the so-called “Imrali delegation” who relayed the messages of the PKK’s ringleader, Abdullah Öcalan, jailed in the Imrali island prison, during the initiative. Last February, Öcalan called on the PKK to dissolve itself in a landmark move. The PKK has largely complied and announced dissolution last spring, months before its members held a symbolic ceremony in northern Iraq where they burned their weapons.
The initiative, originally launched by government ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli in 2024, is conducted discreetly as the issue is sensitive for Türkiye, which has lost tens of thousands in PKK attacks since the 1980s. The initiative has been unilateral so far as authorities denied any concessions to the PKK in return for dissolution.
The Turkish Parliament, last August, established the National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Committee to plan the future of the initiative. The committee, comprised of the AK Party, the MHP and the opposition, is working on a final report of suggestions to advance the initiative. The report will serve as a guideline for Parliament in case of new legislation for the initiative. The parties proposed leniency in sentences for PKK members not involved in acts of terrorism and the right to hope for Öcalan, who was jailed for life after his capture in Kenya in 1999. Mithat Sancar told reporters before their meeting with Erdoğan that the parliamentary committee had “grounds for compromise for the joint report.”
“We hope we will achieve something appropriate with the spirit of this process,” he said. Buldan noted that they were also received by Erdoğan in the past on the initiative, and their latest meeting came at a “certain point of the process.”
“There is a great expectation regarding the report,” she said.
Erdoğan stated that the People’s Alliance of the AK Party and MHP worked in solidarity, within the same strategy and tactics, “acting with courage at critical turning points.”
“In parallel with ending uncertainty in Syria’s north and full integration, the process will be relieved of a burden,” he said, referring to the PKK’s Syrian wing, YPG, which long ignored Öcalan’s call for dissolution.
The Syrian army recently retook a town occupied by the YPG and forced the group to comply with a March 2025 deal it failed to comply with, for integration with the post-Assad Syrian army.
He said that the parliamentary report will be approved with “constructive contribution of political parties.”
“After the report is released, political institutions will have a greater responsibility. The AK Party will act responsibly in this process, and we will be more constructive, more embracing. We won’t avoid taking risks,” he said, adding that at the same time, they would not overshadow the memory of martyrs died (in counterterrorism operations).
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday lashed out at a well-publicized insult targeting a mayor from his Justice and Development Party (AK Party).
Speaking at the parliamentary group meeting of the party, Erdoğan said the insult hurled at Zeynep Güneş, mayor of Mihalgazi in Eskişehir province, was a reminder of the mindset behind the Feb. 28 coup. Güneş was among the audience at the parliamentary group meeting, along with a group of women dressed in traditional garb like hers.
Mehmet Emin Korkmaz was behind a scandalous tweet that made rounds on the social media. Korkmaz, a member of the far-right Good Party (IP) hurled insults at Güneş. “Look at this mayor! She is more appropriate for milking cows in her farm than running a town,” Korkmaz wrote in a tweet accompanying a photo of Güneş. Güneş, a three-term mayor, usually wears a traditional dress popular among female villagers in parts of Türkiye. Korkmaz further disparaged Güneş as “uneducated” and mocked her şalvar, a part of her outfit.
Among mounting public outrage over the remarks, prosecutors in Eskişehir launched an investigation into Korkmaz on charges of inciting hatred in public. Korkmaz was detained and remanded into custody on Sunday. IP Secretary-General Osman Ertürk Özel announced on the same day that they referred Korkmaz to the party’s disciplinary board for expulsion as he offered the party’s support to Güneş for “rude behavior she is exposed to.”
As the women in white garbs cheered his speech, Erdoğan thanked “all sisters who accompanied our mayor here by wearing what women wore a century ago, during our War of Independence,” he said, referring to Şerife Bacı, Kara Fatma and Nene Hatun, heroines of that war whose outfits were all similar to what Güneş wore. “They reflect the proud stand and nobility of Anatolian women,” Erdoğan said.
“We will continue our fight against those who, for years, deprived women of their right to education, the right to work in the public sector and the right to be elected only because they wore a headscarf. We will continue our fight, insulting şalvar and tülbent women of Anatolia wore proudly for centuries,” he added, referring to the headdress and women’s trousers which are part of the traditional outfit.
“We never turned a blind eye to this mindset thriving on bans and suppression; we will never allow those wagging their fingers toward women. We will stand steadfast against those seeking to revive those dark old days,” he said.
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