Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) authorities said Monday they had invalidated a flight notice issued by the Greek Cypriot administration covering parts of the Eastern Mediterranean, arguing that it was unauthorized and encroached on airspace under TRNC control.

The Civil Aviation Department under the TRNC Public Works and Transport Ministry issued a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen), identified as NO100/26, stating that a previous notice published by the Greek Cypriot side was “null and void” because it had been issued without proper authority.

The disputed NOTAM, numbered A0345/26 and issued by the Greek Cypriot administration, covered a wide maritime area south and east of Cyprus and included sections of airspace claimed by the TRNC. It advised aircraft operating up to 5,486 meters to exercise caution due to possible military activity and to remain in contact with Greek Cypriot air traffic control.

A NOTAM is described as an official aviation notice issued by authorities to inform pilots of potential hazards, restrictions or changes in airspace, including military activity, navigation issues or safety risks that could affect flight operations.

In the notice, authorities at Ercan Airport said that air traffic and aeronautical information services within the “Ercan advisory airspace” fall solely under TRNC jurisdiction.

“The NOTAM published by the Greek Cypriot administration is invalid and has no legal effect,” the statement said.

The TRNC ministry also urged aircraft operating in the region to closely follow official aviation information and coordinate with TRNC air traffic units to ensure flight safety.

Public Works and Transport Minister Erhan Arıklı told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the TRNC has full authority over its flight information region and called on the Greek Cypriot administration to refrain from what he described as unrealistic actions.

The NOTAM issued through the so-called Kyrenia Interactive Map System, based in Larnaca under the Greek Cypriot administration, advised aircraft operating in the region to exercise caution due to “U.S. military operations,” covering airspace between the TRNC and Türkiye, including areas within TRNC-controlled airspace. It also instructed aircraft to maintain radio contact with Greek Cypriot air traffic control.

The same notice was later revised and reissued under the title “possible military operations.”

In both NOTAM maps published by the Greek Cypriot side, areas extending from Mersin along the coasts of Adana and Hatay to Northern Cyprus were marked.

Over the past weeks, Türkiye has deployed six F-16 fighter jets and air defense systems to the TRNC as part of a phased plan aimed at strengthening the territory’s security, the Turkish Defense Ministry announced.

In a written statement, the ministry said the deployment began on March 9 and was carried out in response to recent developments in the region.

“Within the framework of phased planning aimed at increasing the security of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in light of recent developments in our region, six F-16 fighter jets and air defense systems have been deployed to the TRNC starting today,” the ministry noted.

The statement added that additional measures could be taken depending on further assessments of developments in the region.

“Following evaluations to be made in line with developments, additional measures will continue to be taken if necessary,” it said.

The development came amid the rising tensions in the Middle East and growing military cooperation between the Greek Cypriot administration and its Western partners.

According to the Greek Cypriot and Greek media reports, two Greek frigates have recently arrived in waters controlled by the Greek Cypriot administration.

While Greece moved to bolster security on the island following recent tensions, the S-class frigates Kimon and Psara, reportedly equipped with anti-drone systems, entered the area this week and are expected to contribute to the administration’s defense, the reports said.

It was also reported that four Greek F-16 fighter jets previously deployed by Athens have been stationed at the Andreas Papandreou Air Base in Paphos.

Cyprus has remained divided for more than five decades between the Turkish Cypriot north and the Greek Cypriot south despite a series of diplomatic efforts by the U.N. to achieve a comprehensive settlement. The TRNC was established in 1983 and is recognized only by Türkiye, while the Greek Cypriot administration represents the island internationally and joined the European Union in 2004.

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Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned that the prolongation of the Russia-Ukraine war poses serious risks to both regional countries and the international order, calling for an immediate return to negotiations, as he spoke with Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, diplomatic sources said Tuesday.

Fidan emphasized the need to end the conflict as soon as possible and stressed the importance of reviving diplomatic efforts, as officials discussed potential steps to bring the parties back to the negotiating table.

The discussions also touched on the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine war, with Fidan reiterating that Türkiye is ready to host the next round of peace talks between the two sides.

Energy security was also among the key issues addressed.

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No date has been set for a new round of Ukraine-Russia peace talks, a source close to Turkish political circles told TASS on Monday, though Türkiye remains ready to host negotiations if all parties agree.

“There is currently no information regarding any potential dates. There is also no information whether detailed contacts are currently underway regarding this issue,” the source stated in response to a question whether the negotiations were possible in March.

He added that Türkiye was always “open to all initiatives and will organize negotiations if all of the involved parties are inclined.”

Türkiye continues to press its diplomatic role in the Russia‑Ukraine war, offering to host and support peace negotiations while emphasizing its backing for a negotiated settlement and Ukraine’s sovereignty.

Turkish leaders have repeatedly reaffirmed Ankara’s readiness to host further rounds of talks and even a leaders‑level summit in Istanbul, building on earlier rounds where direct negotiations and prisoner exchanges were facilitated under Turkish auspices.

Russian Presidential Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated earlier that the parties involved in negotiations on the Ukrainian conflict settlement viewed Istanbul as a possible negotiating platform.

According to him, “the Istanbul option exists, and all of the involved parties are very positive about it.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week said Türkiye is prepared to host an upcoming trilateral peace round with Ukraine, Russia and the United States, reflecting Kyiv’s appreciation for Ankara’s initiative.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke by phone with Zelenskyy on Wednesday, noting that regional tensions such as the Iran conflict should not derail efforts to end the Ukraine war and reiterating Ankara’s commitment to diplomatic channels.

Erdoğan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan have recently stressed Türkiye’s willingness to support peace efforts “at every step” and to host both delegations for negotiations, underlining a consistent push for a cease‑fire and political solution.

While Moscow’s and Kyiv’s positions differ, Türkiye maintains that sustained dialogue and diplomacy are essential to end the conflict and mitigate its humanitarian toll.

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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday slammed Israel’s leadership for acting with a sense of superiority and warned that its actions are dragging the region step by step toward a broader disaster.

“We all know that the attacks targeting Gaza first, then Yemen and Lebanon, and most recently Iran, are not solely motivated by security concerns,” Erdoğan said at an iftar event with journalists at the Presidential Complex in the capital Ankara.

Erdoğan said the global system established after World War II is undergoing a historic rupture, stressing the need to convey the realities on the ground to the international community. He said a destructive war led by Israel is currently unfolding in the region, where innocent children are being killed in schools and civilians are being forced to flee lands they have inhabited for centuries.

Erdoğan also criticized Israel for arbitrarily closing Al-Aqsa Mosque to Muslim worshippers for 17 days, despite having no legitimate authority to do so. He said Israel’s attacks targeting Gaza, followed by Yemen, Lebanon and most recently Iran, go beyond security concerns.

He added that simultaneous narratives ranging from the idea of “promised lands” to apocalyptic scenarios being brought into public discourse are not coincidental, suggesting a broader ideological agenda behind the attacks.

Erdoğan warned that a network that sees itself as superior to others is dragging the region step by step toward disaster, stressing the importance of raising global awareness about what he described as “barbarity” and a “state of madness.”

He emphasized that Türkiye, as a country with global influence, must expand its outreach beyond its borders and strengthen its presence in international media to ensure these realities are heard worldwide.

Referring to U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, Erdoğan said Türkiye’s goal is to ensure that what he described as a “senseless, unlawful and deeply wrong war” comes to an end as soon as possible. He added that Türkiye has consistently voiced its opposition to attacks that clearly violate international law, regardless of the perpetrator, while making intensive efforts to prevent further escalation.

The U.S. and Israel have continued a joint offensive on Iran since Feb. 28, killing so far more than 1,200 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries, which it says are targeting “U.S. military assets,” causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.

Israeli forces also intensified airstrikes and artillery shelling across southern Lebanon since early Tuesday, alongside a limited ground incursion, according to the Lebanese army and state media.

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Turkish prosecutors have uncovered alleged financial irregularities linked to a foundation associated with jailed Mayor Tanju Özcan of the northwestern Turkish city Bolu, revealing that only about 10% of the TL 116.8 million ($3.6 million) was distributed as student scholarships, according to judicial sources.

An investigation led by the Bolu Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office found that between 2024 and 2025, a total of TL 116.8 million was raised through donations, advertising revenues and rental income by the Bolu Seviyorum Social Assistance and Solidarity Foundation (BOLSEV) and its affiliated company.

However, records included in the case file show that only TL 11.9 million, roughly 10% of the total income, was allocated for student scholarships during the same period.

Prosecutors said bank data indicated that as of Dec. 31, 2025, approximately TL 10.8 million remained in the accounts of the foundation and its linked company, raising questions about the whereabouts of more than TL 100 million.

Investigators suspect that a significant portion of the funds may have been diverted through questionable accounting practices, including allegedly fictitious invoices and inflated expenditure items, according to information obtained from judicial authorities.

The probe also highlighted inconsistencies in the operations of the affiliated company, BOLSEV Education and Aid Trade Inc., which was reportedly established to generate revenue for the foundation. Despite recording a total income of more than TL 66 million, including projected future earnings and net profits, the company allegedly failed to transfer any funds to the foundation.

Further irregularities cited in the investigation include gaps in the board decision ledger and conflicting records involving assets such as LED screens, which were reportedly subject to both rental and sale decisions despite not being present in the company’s inventory.

Judicial assessments in the case file suggest that the scholarship program may have been used as a facade to attract donations, though authorities emphasized that the legal characterization of the allegations will be determined as the investigation progresses.

The prosecutor’s office has expanded the inquiry to examine financial transactions between the foundation and the company in greater detail, focusing on the flow of funds and the legitimacy of recorded expenses.

Officials said the case remains ongoing, with further findings expected to clarify the scope and legal implications of the alleged misconduct.

Recently, on March 2, authorities said, Özcan and his deputy were arrested in an investigation into alleged extortion by coercion.

Following his arrest, the Interior Ministry said Özcan had been suspended from office as a temporary measure under Article 127 of the Constitution and Article 47 of the Municipal Law No. 5393, in a statement issued on March 3.

CHP-run municipalities across Türkiye are mired in corruption allegations. Most cases have been in Istanbul. The city’s mayor, Ekrem Imamoğlu, was arrested in March 2025 in a wide-ranging probe where he is accused of running a criminal network thriving on bribes and tender-rigging.

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Türkiye on Monday strongly condemned Israel’s ground offensive in Lebanon, warning that the move risks deepening regional instability and triggering a new humanitarian disaster.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said it “strongly condemns Israel’s ground offensive against Lebanon, which will further deepen instability in the region.”

The ministry said the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is attempting to implement “genocide and collective punishment policies” in Lebanon, similar to actions previously carried out elsewhere, and warned that the escalation could lead to a new humanitarian catastrophe in the region.

The statement also reiterated Türkiye’s solidarity with Lebanon in the face of attacks that violate the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Ankara emphasized that such military actions threaten not only Lebanon’s stability but also the fragile security balance across the Middle East.

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