Politics
Türkiye’s expanding military reach boosts diplomatic clout, analysts say
Recently, discussions over the potential participation of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) in a possible Gaza Task Force, coupled with ministry officials’ repeated emphasis that the TSK is “ready for duty anytime, anywhere,” have brought renewed attention to Türkiye’s previous and ongoing missions across the world.
“A country’s foreign policy is effective when its elements of national power are strong and act in coordination. Among these elements, military power serves as a source of deterrence and influence in external affairs. The scope and impact of a country’s foreign policy are often shaped by the effectiveness and reach of its military capability,” a professor and military strategist, Ali Fuat Gökçe told Daily Sabah.
Throughout the years, the TSK have operated alongside other militaries in a spirit of solidarity and coordination, carrying out cross-border operations and contributing to the success of NATO missions through training, discipline and modern equipment.
Gökçe stated that Türkiye has significantly bolstered its military capabilities in recent years through domestically developed defense systems, strengthening both its deterrent posture and its leverage in foreign policy across key regions, including Syria, the Caucasus, the Black Sea, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea.
“In what Ankara considers strategically important, such as Somalia, Libya and tensions between Pakistan and India, Türkiye has increasingly emerged not as a passive participant in diplomatic processes, but as a proactive actor shaping negotiations and setting the agenda,” he adds.
The TSK has extensive experience in peace support and international missions across multiple regions serving under the mandates of the United Nations, NATO and other international frameworks, earning recognition for professionalism and impartiality.
“Having extensive experience in the establishment and preservation of peace, the Turkish Armed Forces stand ready for any duty to be assigned,” Defense Ministry officials reiterated several times.
Hüseyin Fazla, founder and director of STRASAM and a retired air force brigadier general, noted that: “Türkiye has expanded the profile of the TSK in peacekeeping and stabilization missions. In overseas deployments under NATO, including KFOR in Kosovo, the European Union’s EUFOR mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and United Nations mandates, Turkish forces have operated with increased situational awareness and modern armored vehicles such as the Kirpi and Vuran, enhancing both security and effectiveness in the field.”
Türkiye’s participation in peace support operations dates back to the Korean War in 1950 and has continued in various forms since. In Bosnia-Herzegovina, Turkish forces were deployed in 1994 under U.N. command and later continued their mission under NATO following the Dayton Peace Agreement. Turkish units were tasked with securing safe areas, supporting humanitarian efforts and helping maintain neutrality among Serb, Bosnian and Croat communities.
In Kosovo, Türkiye has participated in the NATO-led KFOR mission since 1999 under a U.N. Security Council mandate. Turkish forces have supported efforts to establish and maintain a safe and secure environment while also providing training assistance to Kosovo security structures.
While arguing the impacts of strong army capabilities, Gökçe also pointed out that “Despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s warning that tariffs would be increased on countries purchasing natural gas from Russia, Türkiye has faced no direct countermeasures for maintaining its energy ties with Moscow, which supplies more than 40% of its natural gas needs, and for remaining the only NATO member not to impose sanctions on Russia — a position in part to Ankara’s military strength and broader foreign policy leverage.”
Moreover, Fazla said: “In addition, the operational gains the Turkish Armed Forces have accumulated in overseas missions including cross-border operations in Syria and Iraq as part of counterterrorism efforts amount to a valuable reservoir of ‘know-how’ for allied countries, he said, the expanding body of experience and capabilities has positioned the military not only as a fighting force but increasingly as a center of excellence, with NATO allies turning to it for consultation.
“The adoption of Turkish military doctrine and equipment by foreign personnel trained by the TSK is viewed as playing a critical role in establishing long-term strategic ties between Türkiye and those nations,” he asserted, underlining that Turkish military deployments in Somalia and Qatar, along with advisory activities in Libya, contributed to the reshaping of those countries’ defense architectures.
In Libya, Türkiye has provided training and advisory support to forces aligned with the country’s internationally recognized government. The Turkish Parliament in December 2025 extended the mandate authorizing the deployment of Turkish troops in Libya for an additional two years. Ankara says its presence is based on formal agreements with Libyan authorities and aims to contribute to stability and institutional restructuring.
On the other hand, Fazla also drew attention to the soft power through military channels, noting that at Türkiye’s largest overseas military base, TURKSOM, Somali forces’ elite “Gorgor” commando units have been trained to combat the al-Shabab militant group, while Somali officers and noncommissioned officers receive instruction in Turkish and are educated in line with Turkish military doctrine.
“This process lays the groundwork for a decadeslong alignment in strategic thinking between the Somali Armed Forces’ command structure and the Turkish military, he asserted.
Remarking on the modernization of the defense industry and the correlation between operational and political aims, Fazla indicated that the Turkish navy’s presence on the high seas, including counterpiracy operations off the coast of Somalia and escort missions for seismic research vessels in the Eastern Mediterranean, has enabled Ankara to safeguard its maritime interests not only through diplomatic démarches but through a tangible operational presence.
According to Fazla, “Türkiye’s deployment of an air defense umbrella around Tripoli and the strategic al-Watiya Air Base in Libya was widely described as a landmark demonstration of capability, marking the first time a NATO army established a layered air defense network in the field against Russian- and Chinese-origin aerial platforms, a move that drew attention from allied capitals.”
“Rather than merely showing the flag, Turkish forces now deploy to shape regional dynamics, train and in many cases help restructure host nation militaries, and actively demonstrate domestically produced defense systems in the field,” he concluded.
In addition to ongoing missions in multiple regions, Türkiye has also conducted numerous cross-border operations against the PKK terrorist group and its Syrian branch, the YPG.
The cross-border operations conducted with Iraq’s consent, while others have been justified under the right of hot pursuit and self-defense, including within the framework of a 1984 bilateral security agreement. Since the early 1990s, Ankara has launched a series of operations in northern Iraq – from Operation Steel and Operation Sun to the ongoing Claw operations that began in 2018.
Cross-border campaigns later expanded into northern Syria, including Operations Euphrates Shield, Olive Branch, Peace Spring and Spring Shield between 2015 and 2020.
Following Türkiye’s operations in Syria, the country has started a historic opportunity after the fall of the Assad regime with the new government of President Ahmad al-Sharaa.
Ankara has campaigned for the removal of terrorist groups from its southern border for a long time, accusing foreign powers of giving them room in Syria.
Most recently, NATO stages its biggest exercise this year in Germany, with some 10,000 personnel from 11 countries. Türkiye, which has the defense body’s second-largest army, dispatched 2,000 personnel for Steadfast Dart 2026, which began last week. The exercise, which will continue until Feb. 20, aims to showcase NATO’s ability to deploy rapidly and conduct complex operations, the body said in a statement earlier this month.
It is the first time that Türkiye sent so many troops to Northern Europe, though the country is a major component of NATO at a time of heightened defense worries in Europe.
Former police chief Hayati Başdağ, who is wanted in multiple cases linked to the outlawed Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), was detained in Istanbul and later jailed pending trial, Turkish authorities announced Tuesday.
The Istanbul Police Department’s counterterrorism and intelligence units, working under the coordination of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, located Başdağ in the city’s Fatih district and captured him in an operation, authorities said.
Başdağ, a former police chief dismissed from public service as part of an FETÖ investigation, was previously arrested in 2014 and released in 2020, according to the court records cited by officials.
Authorities said arrest warrants had been issued for Başdağ by courts in Ankara and Istanbul on charges including membership in an armed terrorist organization and unlawfully recording personal data.
Investigators also alleged that Başdağ used ByLock, an encrypted messaging application used by FETÖ members, and that he took part in the terrorist group’s alleged network within the Police Academy.
Testimony in the case further described him as a person who received rank directly from FETÖ leader Fethullah Gülen, authorities unrevealed.
The group, which is designated as a terrorist group by Türkiye and led by U.S.-based deceased Gülen, is accused of orchestrating the 2016 coup attempt in Türkiye that killed 251 people and injured nearly 2,200.
Başdağ is also among the defendants in several high-profile FETÖ-linked cases, including alleged illegal wiretapping and espionage, the Tahsiye case, and a tape conspiracy targeting former opposition leaders.
The Tahşiye group is known to be a branch of the Nur Movement. The group and its leader, Mehmet Doğan, a former imam, are known for their opposition to FETÖ and have a firmer stance against interfaith dialogue than other movements.
The group is also charged with recording and distributing over the internet sex tapes of former Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Deniz Baykal.
Others, mostly lawmakers from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), had also stepped down from their posts after their videos were published online.
Türkiye will step up efforts to enhance school safety following recent attacks that shocked the nation, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, stressing that no concessions will be made when it comes to ensuring the protection of students, teachers and families.
Speaking to reporters after a Cabinet meeting in the capital Ankara, President Erdoğan said the attacks, which took place in Kahramanmaraş and Şanlıurfa, affected all 86 million citizens and plunged the country into mourning.
Ten people were killed, and at least 20 others were injured after a student aged about 13 opened fire in Ayşel Çalık Middle School in Kahramanmaraş. The fatal attack took place just one day after another shooter wounded 16 people and then killed himself in a school in the Şanlıurfa province a day earlier.
President Erdoğan said the government will introduce stricter measures targeting firearm ownership, including heavier penalties for gun owners who fail to meet their duty of care, particularly in cases where weapons are accessed by children.
He added that additional legal regulations will be enacted to further limit gun ownership and that a comprehensive policy document and action plan will be implemented. The president also stressed that authorities, including the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), are determined to take a tougher stance against violence and moral degradation in media content, especially on television.
The Turkish Parliament is set to establish a special commission to investigate school violence and propose measures to prevent similar incidents.
“The pain that struck Kahramanmaraş has also struck the hearts of all our provinces,” he said, adding that authorities acted swiftly by dispatching four ministers to the region while officials, lawmakers and party representatives supported the victims’ families from the outset.
He emphasized that violence cannot be addressed through a single approach, highlighting the need for a comprehensive strategy that includes school environments, family dynamics, digital media awareness, deterrence measures and stronger institutional cooperation.
“Today’s world is no longer the same,” Erdoğan said, warning that children are increasingly influenced by digital environments, often spending more time online than with their families. He noted that digital interactions and social media platforms can have a profound impact on young people’s development.
Erdoğan also warned of the risks posed by unregulated online spaces and algorithm-driven content, describing the issue as a complex challenge requiring coordinated and multifaceted solutions.
Erdoğan noted that authorities are examining both attacks from all angles, including digital footprints, to determine possible connections, influences and contacts of the perpetrators.
He said eight suspects have been arrested in connection with the Şanlıurfa incident, while the father of the attacker in Kahramanmaraş – identified as the owner of the weapon used – has also been detained. Erdoğan added that he is closely monitoring the ongoing process.
Describing the incidents as unprecedented for the country, Erdoğan pointed to the broader impact of digitalization and globalization, saying such factors increasingly influence young people. He warned that the side effects of technology and internet exposure can manifest in harmful ways.
Referring to similar attacks worldwide, particularly in the United States, Erdoğan said such acts aim to terrorize society and create widespread fear. “These perpetrators seek to provoke public outrage in a manner similar to terrorist organizations,” he said.
The president also criticized certain media outlets, organizations and political figures, accusing them of making irresponsible statements that may have unintentionally amplified the attackers’ objectives. He urged restraint and criticized attempts to politicize the incidents before full investigations are completed.
“No one has the right to cause anxiety among our teachers, students and families,” Erdoğan said, calling for calm and a measured, collective response guided by reason and pedagogical principles.
Türkiye’s humanitarian assistance to Lebanon will continue, Turkish and Lebanese officials said Monday as displacement worsens due to Israeli attacks.
The remarks came during a ceremony to deliver 360 tons of aid at Beirut port, attended by Lebanese and Turkish officials, including Samir Hadara, a representative of Lebanese Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri; Development Minister Fadi Makki; Public Works Minister Fayez Rasamny; and Health Committee head Bilal Abdullah.
Also attending were Secretary-General of the Higher Relief Commission Bassam Nabulsi, Turkish Ambassador to Lebanon Murat Lütem, and the head of the Turkish Charity Stone Association (Sadaka Tasi), Kemal Özdal.
“Turkish support comes at a crucial time and reflects genuine solidarity with Lebanon in facing current challenges,” Makki said during the ceremony.
“This support is not limited to the humanitarian aspect but also includes a political stance supporting Lebanon in condemning the Israeli attacks,” he added.
On the Turkish aid, Makki said it includes “vital supplies, particularly tents, to help ensure the resilience of residents in villages along the southern border.”
He expressed hope “that these efforts, alongside support from friendly countries, will help displaced people return to their villages with dignity.”
More than 1 million people have been displaced in Lebanon due to the Israeli attacks, while some have begun returning home after a ceasefire took effect amid widespread destruction.
Worsening conditions
The Turkish ambassador highlighted the deep friendship between the Lebanese and Turkish peoples.
“Türkiye will always stand by Lebanon and its friendly people,” Lütem told Anadolu Agency (AA). “Türkiye has consistently stood by Lebanon through its official institutions and non-governmental organizations.
“Israeli attacks since 2024 have caused significant suffering and large-scale displacement, and Türkiye has since provided more than 1,700 tons of humanitarian aid,” he added.
The diplomat said the assistance reflects “the generosity and solidarity of the Turkish people.”
On the current shipment, Lütem said it consists of three batches, with the first arriving in early April, the second delivered Monday, and a third expected soon.
“More than 1 million Lebanese have been displaced from their homes, representing about one-fifth of the population, amid continued violations of the ceasefire, making the need for aid extremely urgent.”
Fair distribution
Health Committee head Bilal Abdullah said Turkish support “is not new, but comes within a policy based on reason, wisdom, and solidarity,” praising the continuity of aid since 2024.
“These efforts have left a significant impact on the conscience of the Lebanese people,” he told Anadolu, expressing gratitude to Türkiye and its institutions.
“We hope to repay Türkiye-its leadership and people-under better and happier circumstances than those Lebanon is experiencing today,” he added.
He said aid distribution is carried out “through a central mechanism via governors, taking into account the number of displaced in each area to ensure fairness.”
Kemal Özdal, head of the Turkish Charity Stone Association, said Türkiye continues to support Lebanon during its difficult circumstances.
“Ties between peoples are not measured by words, but by sincere actions,” he said.
“Turkish civil society organizations stand by Lebanon based on a deep belief in shared human destiny,” he added, noting that about 1,000 tons of aid were sent to Lebanon in 2025 via a dedicated ship.
The new shipment consists of 38 containers worth more than $3 million, including beds, blankets, pillows, tents, ready-to-eat food, and clothing, he said.
Distribution will be coordinated with Lebanon’s Higher Relief Commission and carried out in cooperation with municipalities and civil society organizations to ensure it reaches beneficiaries, he added.
“The Turkish people will remain by the side of the Lebanese people, a partner in hope and support in times of hardship,” Özdal said.
The total weight of the shipment is approximately 360 tons, according to the Turkish Charity Stone Association.
This shipment comes as a continuation of previous efforts, as Turkish organizations had sent about 1,000 tons of humanitarian aid to Lebanon via a special ship during 2024, as part of an ongoing response to increasing humanitarian needs.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday a 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel, though Israeli forces continue daily violations, causing casualties and destruction.
Since March 2, Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed 2,294 people, wounded 7,544, and displaced more than 1 million, according to official figures.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a congratulatory message for the election of Mohammed Samaan Agha as governor of Iraq’s Kirkuk province. The ethnic Turkmen, who was chairperson of the Iraqi Turkmen Front, was elected by the Kirkuk Provincial Council on April 16 and started his tenure officially on Tuesday.
In the statement on Tuesday, the ministry, using the Turkish pronunciation, Mehmet Seman Ağaoğlu, for the new governor, said the election of a Turkmen to the post in Kirkuk, “a province with cultural diversity and plural social fabric, is a highly significant and historic development in terms of inclusivity, fair representation, and consolidation of social peace.”
“We also view this as a long-overdue acknowledgement of a legitimate right for our Turkmen kinsmen, who are an integral component of Iraq and Kirkuk. The rotational sharing of high-level administrative positions in Kirkuk among its components on the basis of consensus is a fair and equitable gain not only for the Turkmen but for all components that make up Kirkuk. We hope that this development will contribute to the peace, security, and prosperity of Iraq and the people of Kirkuk,” the statement said.
Kirkuk has a sizeable population of Turkmens and has been a contested area in terms of elections due to its diverse demographics. It has also been a place contested between the Iraqi administration in Baghdad and Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), which controls most of northern Iraq. It was once part of Mosul province, which Türkiye wanted to control after the fall of the Ottoman Empire following World War I. Kirkuk’s last governor of Turkmen origin was Fettah Pasha, who governed during the Kingdom of Iraq, which was under British mandate.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA) last week, Agha has pledged to serve as the governor of “every resident of Kirkuk, not just Turkmens.” Kirkuk has a rotating power-sharing model, divided between Arabs, Kurds and Turkmens but the system did not produce a Turkmen governor until Agha. He said that they advocated a rotating governorship system since the fall of the Baathist regime in 2003. Agha underlined that it was a challenging process for them to convince Arabs and Kurds.
The European Commission said Tuesday it does not oversee Türkiye’s influence in neighboring regions, clarifying remarks by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that Europe should not be shaped by Russia, Türkiye or China.
Speaking at a midday briefing, spokesperson Paula Pinho responded to Anadolu Agency (AA) question regarding how von der Leyen’s comments should be interpreted.
“What was said here is, of course, that Türkiye, precisely as a candidate country, also has an additional responsibility in the neighborhood, and we do not oversee the influence that it has in the neighborhood,” she said.
“And in this case, the reference was to the Western Balkans in line with the EU values. That was the context in which the president referred to Türkiye,” Pinho added, underlining that the expectation is for Türkiye to act consistently with EU values in its regional engagement.
Speaking at an event marking the 80th anniversary of the newspaper Die Zeit in Hamburg on Monday, von der Leyen emphasized her support for EU enlargement and said: “We must succeed in completing the European continent so that it is not influenced by Russia, Türkiye, or China.”
Ukraine’s foreign minister affirmed that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was ready for a potential meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Türkiye.
In an interview with Ukrainian state news agency Ukrinform on the sidelines of the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum on Sunday, Andrii Sybiha said that Türkiye has the ability to make “truly unprecedented, unique achievements in diplomacy.”
“We have appealed to Türkiye to consider the possibility of organizing a meeting at the level of President Zelenskyy and Putin, with the possible participation of presidents (Turkish President Recep Tayyip) Erdoğan and (U.S. President Donald) Trump,” Sybiha said. He said that the Ukrainian side, including Zelenskyy, is ready for such a meeting, adding that Kyiv has “effective proposals” and that they hope for Türkiye’s role, which he said “can play and accelerate the peace process” surrounding the Russia-Ukraine war.
Türkiye previously hosted peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, first in the initial weeks of the ongoing four-year war and later in mid-2025. Three rounds of renewed peace talks were held last year in Istanbul, on May 16, June 2, and July 23, which produced major prisoner swaps and draft memorandums outlining positions of both sides for a potential peace deal. Under US mediation, Moscow and Kyiv also held three rounds of peace talks earlier this year on Jan. 23-24, Feb. 4-5, and Feb. 17-18. The first two were in Abu Dhabi, while the third took place in Geneva. Since then, negotiations have been paused with both Moscow and Kyiv attributing the halt in Russia-Ukraine peace talks to the U.S.’ focus on Iran.
On April 4, President Erdoğan hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Istanbul to discuss bilateral ties, efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war, and broader regional and global developments.
During the talks, Erdoğan reiterated Türkiye’s commitment to supporting negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, stressing the region’s urgent need for peace and stability. He also underscored Ankara’s strong emphasis on ensuring safe navigation in the Black Sea and maintaining energy supply security. Erdoğan said Türkiye remains determined to increase trade volume with Ukraine and will continue taking steps to strengthen economic cooperation, and he also welcomed Ukraine’s efforts to deepen relations with Gulf countries, according to a statement by the Presidency’s Communications Directorate.
‘Strategic partner’
Sybiha also spoke about relations between Ankara and Kyiv, saying that Türkiye has a special place in Ukraine’s diplomatic relations, particularly as a “strategic partner.”
“Türkiye is a NATO country. Türkiye has one of the strongest armies in the world. And now Ukraine also has one of the strongest armies, not only in Europe. All this creates the ground for really close cooperation,” Sybiha said. “I am a supporter of creating alliances with Türkiye, given its role in the region and the role of our country, which is growing. All this allows us to launch new formats of interaction, as happened with Syria,” he added. The Ukrainian foreign minister further said the trade turnover between his country and Türkiye is growing, noting that they have an almost 40% growth in 2025 compared to the previous year. “I am convinced that we still have untapped potential that we must further develop,” he said.
Sybiha also assessed his contacts at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, saying he had a lot of requests for a meeting during the three-day event. “For me, as a minister of a country at war, this is a chance to develop and establish new partnerships. I don’t remember when I had so many requests to meet during multilateral platforms,” Sybiha stated.
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