Politics
Dutch failure to extradite terrorists worries Türkiye
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek hosted Dutch Minister of Justice and Security David van Weel on Wednesday. The meeting inevitably focused on the extradition of the terror suspects wanted by Türkiye. Gürlek highlighted the fact that they were still awaiting the extradition of 217 Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) and eight PKK members from the Netherlands, the ministry said in a statement regarding the meeting.
The Netherlands’ permissive stance toward members of FETÖ and the PKK has been a thorn in relations between the two countries in the past, and Gürlek’s statement indicated that the issue has lingered.
Gürlek, who was appointed as minister in February after serving as a chief prosecutor investigating, among others, FETÖ-related cases, told the Dutch counterpart that his visit would contribute to improving existing cooperation between the two countries. The minister stated that Türkiye and the Netherlands had deep ties, and the about 500,000-strong Turkish community in the Netherlands played a significant role in strengthening the ties.
The minister also reminded that Türkiye and the Netherlands are allies in NATO. “We attach importance to developing dialogue and cooperation with our ally, the Netherlands, at a time of heightened global and regional risks,” he said.
“We particularly value mutual judicial cooperation between the two countries on issues such as organized crime, the fight against organized crime, drug trafficking, migrant smuggling and the laundering of proceeds of crime. Cooperation between judicial authorities will also strengthen the cooperation between the countries and undertake an important task in terms of the effectiveness of international justice.”
Reminding that 251 people were martyred during the July 15, 2016 coup attempt by FETÖ, Gürlek underlined the threat it posed.
“Due to the judicial processes carried out within this scope, our ministry has conveyed requests for mutual legal assistance to your ministry and your competent authorities,” he told the Dutch counterpart. “However, unfortunately, some problems have arisen regarding the fulfillment of these requests. Our country’s determined fight against the FETÖ, which targets the constitutional order and usurps the national will, continues. In this context, we hope that the authorities of the Netherlands, whom we see as a friend and ally, will help us and show cooperation, especially in terms of judicial assistance and the extradition of criminals.”
FETÖ, which is known for its widespread infiltration in Türkiye, tried to overthrow the government three times in 2013 and 2016. When their network was uncovered in the wake of these attempts, members of the terrorist group fled abroad, mostly to Europe. Germany and the Netherlands were among the “safe havens” they found. European countries were quick to grant asylum to FETÖ members who portrayed themselves as members of the so-called innocuous-sounding “Service (or Gülen) Movement.”
Explaining that Türkiye has also been fighting the PKK terrorist group for over 40 years, Gürlek emphasized that it is also recognized as a terrorist group by the European Union. “We see that our extradition requests regarding the PKK, just like those regarding FETÖ, have unfortunately not resulted positively.”
The minister also urged the Netherlands not to grant asylum or hand out residence permits to members of FETÖ and the PKK and consider reviewing permits already issued.
Gürlek recalled that Tuesday was the anniversary of the killing of prosecutor Mehmet Selim Kiraz, a former colleague of his, by the terrorist group Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C), noting that Musa Aşoğlu, a senior leader of the group, was among those Türkiye sought to extradite from the Netherlands. “Unfortunately, no positive step has been taken so far. We sincerely believe that the demands and important sensitivities we have expressed will also be reciprocated by the Dutch authorities,” he said.
In addition to the fight against terrorism, Gürlek noted that there are extradition agreements with many countries within the scope of judicial cooperation to combat other international crimes, especially drug trafficking, money laundering and human trafficking.
“Thanks to the simultaneous ‘Operation Cloud’ coordinated between the Netherlands and Türkiye last April, drug traffickers were captured. In this context, we expect that those identified as being in the Netherlands, who have arrest warrants issued against them for drug trafficking, will likewise be extradited to our country.”
Gürlek also emphasized that the presence of the Turkish community in the Netherlands, as well as the safety and well-being of citizens, is of particular importance. He stated that they are closely monitoring with concern the rise of racism, xenophobia and Islamophobia, especially in Western Europe.
Pointing out that such threats have been increasing recently, Gürlek stressed that they were saddened to learn that two Muslim women were subjected to police violence in the Netherlands at the end of January. He expressed their belief that necessary measures should be taken against such incidents.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA) after the meeting, van Weel said Dutch-Turkish ties have been perfect, adding that they may cooperate more in counterterrorism and fight against organized crime. The minister said they had close ties with Türkiye in counterterrorism, reminding that the PKK and DHKP-C were recognized as terrorist groups by the Netherlands. “Counterterrorism cooperation contributes to the security of the two countries,” he said.
Ünal Üstel, the prime minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), condemned Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides for statements praising the terrorist group EOKA on the latter’s anniversary of foundation. “It is basically ignoring the oppression Turkish Cypriots are exposed to,” Üstel said in a statement on Thursday.
Founded by Georgios Grivas in 1954, EOKA staged its first terrorist attack a year later. However, its primary objective was to fight against the British occupiers of the island in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The terror group began committing more terrorist attacks and massacres against Turkish Cypriots in 1958, in line with its goals of clearing the island of Turks and uniting it with Greece.
EOKA has been notorious since then for its crimes against Turks and is listed as a terrorist organization, but celebrations continue to be held in the Greek Cypriot party of divided Cyprus every year for its foundation. This year’s celebrations on the Greek Cypriot side were also the scene of attacks by a Greek Cypriot group toward Turkish Cypriots in a park on the other side of the buffer zone between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot sides. Masked assailants have hurled homemade explosives and rocks at Turkish Cypriots before the arrival of Turkish soldiers to the park forced them to flee.
Üstel stated that portraying EOKA as part of “a fight for national liberation” and conveying it to new generations in this manner meant distorting the historical facts. “For Turkish Cypriot people, EOKA does not mean a movement of struggle, it is synonymous with massacres, attacks and systematic pressure. It is unacceptable to extol this group and revive it in collective memory, while it is known what the Turkish Cypriot people suffered. This approach contradicts any effort to build a common future on the island,” he said.
Commenting on Wednesday’s attacks on the buffer zone, the prime minister said it laid bare gaps in security measures in the buffer zone, calling on the U.N. peacekeepers stationed there to take responsibility. “This is a dire development for civilians and is unacceptable. We also expect the Greek Cypriot administration to launch an investigation into this attack and bring those involved to justice, to prevent further escalation of tensions,” he said.
Türkiye on Wednesday dismissed reports suggesting it has been excluded from the European Union’s Horizon Europe program, saying the process is still underway and no final decision has been made.
Sources from the Foreign Ministry stated that discussions on the EU’s draft regulation for the 2028-2034 period are ongoing within both the European Parliament and the EU Council, indicating that negotiations have not yet concluded.
They noted that some proposals in the European Parliament relate only to participation in certain components of the program and do not concern Türkiye’s overall participation status.
The sources added that the final outcome will be determined through negotiations between EU institutions and that Türkiye is taking necessary steps while closely monitoring the process.
Turkish defense officials and industry executives gathered Wednesday at the 3rd Strategic Partnership Summit hosted by Turkish missile company Roketsan in Ankara.
The officials underlined that strengthening domestic production, supply-chain resilience and space-based capabilities has become increasingly critical to national security, as wars and geopolitical tensions reshape the nature of modern conflict and put new pressure on the global defense industry.
During the event, the head of the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB), Haluk Görgün, and Roketsan CEO Murat Ikinci remarked that Türkiye’s defense sector must be able to sustain production, adapt quickly to battlefield needs and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers.
Speaking at the event, Görgün said countries now bring not only their military platforms and munitions to the battlefield, but also their logistics capacity and industrial ecosystems.
“For this reason, the defense industry has become a strategic field of power that directly reflects a nation’s warfighting capacity, resilience and continuity,” Görgün said.
He said recent conflicts have shown that warfare is undergoing a fundamental transformation, with land, air, sea, cyber and space domains increasingly integrated into a single operational environment.
According to Görgün, space-based systems are gaining importance by accelerating decision-making and improving coordination between units through communications, surveillance, positioning and time synchronization capabilities.
Görgün also noted modern conflicts increasingly favor munitions and platforms that can be produced quickly, replaced easily and deployed at lower cost. That, he said, has elevated the importance of serial production, continuity in manufacturing, stock planning, storage infrastructure and logistics architecture.
“Today’s defense industry architecture is shaped by real-time feedback from the field,” he stressed, adding that Türkiye’s gains in the sector stem from the strong link it has built between operational requirements and industrial production.
He described the strengthening of domestic and national capabilities as vital to national security and said Roketsan’s resilience through its supplier ecosystem had become an example for the wider sector.
Ikinci, speaking at the same summit, said Roketsan had reached a domestic sourcing level of 92%, helping insulate the company from global supply-chain shocks that have disrupted defense and civilian industries alike.
“We are affected by disruptions in the global supply chain,” Ikinci said. “But because we operate with a domestic value-added ratio above 90%, we are less affected than some other stakeholders or competitors.”
He said the company was continuing to invest heavily in alternative supply sources and local production to build a fully independent defense industrial base.
“The supply chain has taken a very serious blow right now,” Ikinci said. “There is difficulty across all industries in the world. But even in this environment, our ability to continue production is a major advantage for us.”
He said Türkiye’s broader defense ecosystem now meets much of the country’s military requirements domestically, describing the country as a stabilizing force in a volatile region.
He stated that Turkish authorities had launched a series of initiatives aimed at making companies more visible, effective and sustainable, including measures to increase the role of small and medium-sized enterprises, support financial stability, ease access to funding and assist firms in export agreements and contracts.
Expectations in Turkish defense
Moreover, Ikinci also drew attention to Roketsan reinvesting its revenue into infrastructure and serial production capacity, and he signaled that more announcements on expansion plans would be made public soon.
“Roketsan is investing all the money it earns into its infrastructure to increase serial production capacity,” he said.
He said the capacity increases would be seen across a wide range of missile systems, including the Tayfun ballistic missile, the SOM cruise missile, the Atmaca anti-ship missile, and the Siper and Hisar air defense systems.
Asked about the Siper-2 air defense missile, Ikinci said development work was continuing and that the system was expected to move toward serial production. He stated that Siper-2, designed by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye’s defense research arm, TÜBITAK SAGE, would be among the most advanced missiles in the Siper family, with Roketsan expected to take part in production as an industrial partner.
He added that Turkish efforts to strengthen air defense capabilities were not limited to Siper and included all elements of the Steel Dome air defense concept, as well as the Hisar and Sungur families and other next-generation missile programs.
Ikinci said existing systems would continue to gain new sensors and added capabilities, and that new members would join the Siper family in the future.
Alongside Görgün and Ikinci, the event was attended by Roketsan Chairman Faruk Yiğit and a broad group of sector representatives, suppliers and experts.
The event continued with panel discussions featuring Olcay Elmalı Meço, director at Roketsan in charge of advanced materials and manufacturing technologies developments; Irfan Durmuş, director of the Rare Earth Elements Application and Research Center (MUNTEAM); Celal Erbay of the National Intelligence Academy; Saruhan Saklar of Türkiye’s General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration; Murat Eskici, Roketsan’s supply chain director; Aziz Meydan, chairperson of the board of HMS Machining company; Şenay Idil, general manager of Alp Aviation; and Ali Rıza Alptekin, head of the Defense and Aviation Group at Kale Group.
Key NATO ally Türkiye recently acknowledged plans for the establishment of a multinational corps headquarters. Another rumored plan for an additional NATO force for the Black Sea sparked speculation, especially about the status of the Montreaux Convention.
In a statement on Thursday, the Ministry of National Defense said none would affect Türkiye’s stance on the convention, and they acted in accordance with the principle of regional ownership.
The ministry said recent reports regarding two issues stemmed from “mistakes on certain concepts and lack of knowledge.”
Responding to a question by journalists regarding NATO and non-NATO multinational naval headquarters and planned multinational corps headquarters in the southern city of Adana, the ministry said the naval headquarters was part of Türkiye’s basic strategy for the Black Sea.
“It is out of question to make concessions on the principle of regional ownership and the Montreaux Convention. Türkiye’s security approach on the Black Sea is based on the preservation of balance and stability provided by the Montreaux Convention, prioritizing littoral countries’ role in this regional ownership,” the ministry said.
The statement came one day after the Russian Embassy in Ankara posted a tweet about its support for Türkiye’s adherence to the convention, with an attached image of a news article about the signing of the convention in 1936.
Signed on July 20, 1936, at the Montreaux Palace in Switzerland, the convention gives Türkiye permission to remilitarize the Bosporus and Çanakkale Strait. It came into effect on Nov. 9, 1936, and was registered in the League of Nations Treaty Series on Dec. 11, 1936. It gives Türkiye control over the Bosporus and Çanakkale Strait and regulates the transit of naval warships. The convention guarantees free passage to civilian vessels in times of peace and restricts the passage of naval ships that do not belong to littoral Black Sea states.
The ministry noted that Türkiye’s stand on Montreaux ensured the Black Sea does not turn into a wider area of conflict.
“Throughout the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Türkiye resolutely applied the convention and prevented the conflict from spilling over into the sea. Despite escalating geopolitical rivalries and security risks in the Black Sea, our country is committed to standing for preserving regional stability, de-escalation of tensions and assigning responsibility primarily to littoral countries for the security,” the statement said.
“Türkiye continues taking the initiative to prevent the Black Sea from turning into an area of competition and a leading role in maintaining regional security architecture,” the statement reiterated.
Türkiye recently hosted officials from the Coalition of Willing for Ukraine, and the ministry noted that the coalition, though multinational, was not linked to NATO. The statement said the Multinational Force Ukraine (MNF-U) established by the coalition was planned to be commanded by an operational headquarters based in France.
“This force’s maritime command will be tasked with safeguarding security and stability, preserving the balance ensured by the Montreaux Convention. Our country will lead this command,” the ministry said, adding that the maritime command was composed entirely of Turkish personnel.
“Fourteen countries declared contribution to the Command, but only Türkiye, Romania and Bulgaria will be contributors of maritime platforms,” the ministry underlined.
The ministry also rejected claims that Israel was the culprit in the crash of a Turkish C-130 plane on the Azerbaijan-Georgia border in November 2025 that killed 20 Turkish soldiers. Doğu Perinçek, chair of the Homeland Party (VP), voiced the allegation this week. The ministry said the allegations were baseless and “disinformation,” and they filed for legal proceedings against the claims. The ministry noted that the investigation into the crash was still underway and its results would be shared with the public once it is concluded.
On Wednesday, Deputy Foreign Minister Mehmet Kemal Bozay also underlined that they were committed to the Montreaux Convention. Answering lawmakers’ questions at Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Bozay said they were always grateful to the statesmen of the past for the convention.
“We implement every regulation without violating the convention,” he said. Bozay said Türkiye sought to have full control over multinational headquarters and related matters. “You must be aware of developments in the Black Sea, detection of unmanned naval vehicles and incidents involving vessels. We are not pursuing an approach that would harm our security while remaining committed to our responsibilities stemming from being a NATO member,” he underlined.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday reiterated his criticism of Israel over the U.S.-Israel-Iran war, while he reiterated Türkiye’s intention to keep the nation out of the conflict and pursue mediation efforts.
Addressing the parliamentary group meeting of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in Ankara, Erdoğan said that the war, in its second month, was escalating in terms of threats.
“Our priority is that our country should come out of this stormy period without any incident. We are determined to keep Türkiye out of the fire. We are not falling for the traps of the opposition and manage this process in a cautious, balanced and rational manner,” he said.
The opposition adopted a more hawkish tone in the early days of the war and mostly called for siding with Iran while sending mixed signals about the “regime change” in Iran. The government has avoided a firebrand or one-sided approach so far, despite Türkiye seeing four missiles entering its airspace since the war began on Feb. 28. Ankara has never been harsh in its discourse toward Iran, and the missiles were intercepted by NATO’s defense systems. Instead, Türkiye has been keen on playing the role of mediator as it did in the other conflicts in the region and beyond.
Erdoğan reminded that Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan joined a quadrilateral meeting with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Pakistan to discuss steps to stop the war. He said Defense Minister Yaşar Güler and intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalın were also exerting efforts to that extent.
Stating that Türkiye’s stance is clear and that they consider it their duty to do whatever is necessary without hesitation to ensure peace prevails in the region, Erdoğan said: “If there is even an iota of hope for stopping the bloodshed, ending the tears, silencing the guns and resolving problems through diplomacy, it is our duty of honor to pursue it. Since the beginning of the war, Türkiye’s principled stance, attitude and the messages it has given to the world and the region have been the voice of humanity and conscience.”
He said that they sincerely desire an immediate end to the suffering of brotherly and friendly countries.
“Among the primary dangers awaiting our region is the risk of the war prolonging and turning into a regional civil conflict. Unfortunately, retaliations targeting energy, transportation and civilian infrastructure increase this possibility. The primary party responsible for this unlawful war, which not only turns our region into a place of fire but also places a very heavy economic burden on the shoulders of all humanity, is the Israeli government, which is addicted to conflict, chaos and crisis. Every development that causes the war to continue by opening new fronts will serve Israel’s bloody strategy and cause our region to lose. It must not be forgotten that every drop of blood shed in the war will be the ‘water of life’ that extends Netanyahu’s political lifespan.”
Expressing that a war with Iran clearly does not serve the vision of global peace, but instead sabotages and jeopardizes it, Erdoğan said diplomacy, dialogue and compromise were keys to overcoming it.
“Reason, conscience, international law, justice and equity require this. Our hope is for common sense to prevail, thereby opening the path to peace without further bloodshed,” he stated.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance, values or position of Daily Sabah. The newspaper provides space for diverse perspectives as part of its commitment to open and informed public discussion.
Maj. Murat Kalaç, who was on the wanted list of the Interior Ministry for his involvement in the July 15, 2016, coup attempt, was captured on Wednesday, security sources said.
Kalaç was on the run since the coup attempt, instigated by military officers linked to the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), was quelled. Authorities earlier issued an arrest warrant for the suspect, who was stationed at the Gendarmerie General Command at the time of the coup attempt.
Authorities did not disclose where Kalaç was captured, but security sources said that the suspect had contacted someone to build a secret room in the location where he was captured, to avoid pursuit.
The major’s name came up in a case related to the coup attempt. An earlier indictment against Kalaç says he was a user of Bylock, an encrypted messaging app developed and exclusively used by FETÖ. He patrolled the gendarmerie headquarters on behalf of the putschists and refused to surrender to anti-putschist forces, locking himself in his room at the headquarters. He later managed to escape.
FETÖ thrived thanks to its widespread infiltration into key public institutions for decades. The terrorist group’s members managed to disguise themselves through secretive communication methods and by conspiring against those who detected their infiltration, through blackmail, sham trials organized by prosecutors linked to the group and other methods. Once he believed he had a sizable number of military infiltrators, the group’s leader, Fetullah Gülen, ordered them to stage another coup attempt on July 15, 2016. The coup attempt, this time carried out by military infiltrators of the group, spectacularly failed due to an unprecedented public resistance. Gülen died in 2024 before his expected extradition from the U.S., where he lived for years. In the aftermath of the coup attempt, Türkiye expanded its crackdown on the group.
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