Politics
Erdoğan touts ‘stronger future’ for Türkiye with terror-free push
When the terror-free initiative is safely finalized, Türkiye will celebrate a stronger future, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in a video message released Thursday to mark Islam’s upcoming holiday Eid al-Adha.
The initiative, launched last year by Erdoğan’s ally Devlet Bahçeli, aims to end four decades of PKK terrorism in Türkiye after the organization declared in a landmark decision last month to disarm and disband itself.
“We have entered a new phase with the organization’s decision to dissolve itself. We will be rid of this half-century-old plague with the support of our nation and the political institution,” Erdoğan said in his message.
The PKK’s bloody terror campaign, which exploited the Kurdish community under the pretext of fighting for their rights, a self-styled Kurdish state in southeast Türkiye, has claimed at least 40,000 lives since the 1980s.
After years of military operations to eradicate the group, Türkiye initiated a “reconciliation process” previously in 2013 in a bid to prevent the PKK from justifying its actions.
The process saw the reinstatement of the rights of the Kurdish community, but it ultimately collapsed when the PKK resumed its terrorist attacks after a brief lull.
Erdoğan assured the Turkish government has “never allowed any attempt to hurt the souls of our martyrs, their families or our veterans so far, and we never will.”
The PKK is now expected to hand over its weapons within the next four months, and some 3,500 members will leave their hideouts in Iraq’s north.
Economic boost
The terror-free initiative has also helped create stronger ground for economic, foreign policy and security developments for Türkiye, Erdoğan continued.
He pointed out the “tangible” effects of the economic reform program and macroeconomic stability, especially on inflation, which fell to 35.4% in May, its lowest since late 2021.
Erdoğan’s government has returned to more conventional economic policies in 2023, boosting reserves, tempering inflation and luring more investors.
Turkish economy saw moderate growth of 1.0% in the first quarter of 2025, with the gross domestic product (GDP) expanding by 2%. Its annual growth is expected to hit 2.3%, according to market surveys.
“We continue to combat all problems that reduce standards for our citizens, starting with the cost-of-living crisis,” Erdoğan said.
He also promised to deliver 252,000 more homes by the end of the year to victims of the Feb. 6, 2023, earthquakes that leveled 11 southeastern cities and killed 53,000 people.
Gaza, Ukraine, Syria
Erdoğan also expressed his wish for peace in conflict-ridden regions of the world, “from Gaza to Sudan and Somalia this Eid.”
“We are making every effort to stop the genocide in Palestine and to ensure the war between Russia and Ukraine ends with a fair peace,” he said.
The second round of first direct talks between the warring sides in Istanbul last week marked a historic step toward ending the bloody Ukraine war, Erdoğan continued.
“With the support of all friendly countries in the region, we believe Syria will achieve lasting peace and return to its former glorious days,” he added.
Domestic politics
Erdoğan further criticized a decision from his main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) not to congratulate fellow parties on Eid al-Adha.
“I was saddened that the main opposition has become a party that refuses to celebrate Eid with anyone at a time when we are strengthening our forever fraternity and domestic front as a nation,” he said.
He wished for the CHP to “give up on its erroneous ways and for all colors of Türkiye to come together on Eid.”
“I hope Eid al-Adha brings good fortune for our country, nation and humanity,” he said. “I congratulate all my citizens and our region, as well as our brothers and sisters around the world, on their Eid.”
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) held its 152nd Assembly on Thursday in Istanbul, at a session chaired by Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş.
The situation in Gaza where tens of thousands of Palestinians were slaughtered by Israel since 2023 was the main theme of Kurtulmuş’s keynote speech at the General Assembly. He said hosting parliamentarians in Istanbul to deepen multilateral ties was a reflection of demonstrating humanity’s common conscience.
Referring to the event’s theme of “nurturing hope, securing peace and ensuring justice for future generations,” Kurtulmuş said it was a comprehensive goal addressing to the needs of the age.
Kurtulmuş noted that humanity is going through an extraordinarily difficult, critical and challenging period in which escalating and expanding conflicts, deepening inequalities, displacement, waves of hunger and the erosion of trust are all intertwined. He explained that a multilateral and multipolar political architecture had long been one of the main pillars of international balance.
Stating that developments in recent years have eroded the capacity of institutions to generate will, the ability to enforce rules and the moral weight of concepts, Kurtulmuş said: “The situation we face is not one that stems merely from certain technical deficiencies or disruptions, nor can it be explained solely by such shortcomings. We are confronted with a deeper, more comprehensive, and universal problem. While the global system maintains its claim to solve problems, unfortunately it fails to demonstrate the courage to implement norms. In principle, the texts remain in place and are in force; however, in the face of the destruction suffered by millions, these principles no longer have any protective effect. Law has been transformed into an instrument of pressure that bends for the powerful while becoming rigid against the weak.”
Emphasizing that the international system is in clear collapse and that the grave situation in Gaza is just one of the clearest manifestations of this collapse, Kurtulmuş continued: “In a situation where civilians cannot be protected, the right to life cannot be guaranteed, health infrastructure has been destroyed, humanitarian aid passages are blocked, and basic living conditions have been eliminated, the failure to present an effective and binding will constitutes a serious responsibility and a serious test for all of us in terms of the international system. There is no need to mince words here. An international structure that remains silent in the face of systematic attacks against humanity is in fact losing its founding claims. Centers that claim to represent conscience are content with merely watching the suffering. The Palestinian issue has gone far beyond being the tragedy of a particular region and has become a shared test for all of humanity,” he underlined.
Kurtulmuş stated that Gaza serves as a clear laboratory demonstrating the destructive consequences of selectively applied humanitarian law. “Gaza is a grave test that questions why institutions were established, whom rules are meant to protect, and how consistently the human family can act in the face of shared values and we are all confronted with this test. Silence maintained at the cost of the lives of the oppressed can never be considered neutrality. I would like to state clearly that political bargaining can never be conducted over the right to life of civilians,” he said.
He emphasized that the parliaments had a major responsibility in the face of these developments.
“We must not lose the ability to call an oppressor an oppressor under the guise of politeness. There is a difference between speaking in a measured way and speaking ineffectively, just as there is a difference between calmness and silence. Therefore, I would like to emphasize that parliaments bear a great responsibility in this period. We will both speak clearly and never adopt an attitude that hides the truth under the name of courtesy,” he said.
Founded in 1889 by parliamentary representatives to strengthen inter-parliamentary cooperation and dialogue, the IPU now stands out as the umbrella organization of the world’s parliaments, with 183 member countries.
Türkiye, which hosted General Assembly meetings in 1934 and 1951 and most recently 30 years ago, is set to once again demonstrate its experience and expertise in parliamentary diplomacy, as well as the importance it places on multilateral relations and international dialogue.
A highlight of the opening ceremony for the General Assembly was the arrival of the Iranian delegation with a bloodied school bag belonging to a student killed in a U.S.-Israel attack in the conflict that began on Feb. 28.
At the session of the peace and international security committee of the general assembly, lawmakers debated a resolution for the creation of post-conflict administrative mechanisms and works on ensuring fair and permanent peace by parliaments. Awni Al-Zoubi, a member of Jordan’s Parliament, told the session that a draft resolution he and fellow parliamentarians presented on the matter had references to the United Nations, noting that the parliaments had an important duty to convert political commitments to mechanisms and create follow-up, monitoring mechanisms. He said national agencies should lead post-conflict recoveries while other countries should provide support to the said agencies and ensure democratic legitimacy.
Benjamin Okezie Kalu, deputy speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria, told the session that a cease-fire is often confused with the “end of a war,” but post-conflict cease-fire agreements tend to be fragile and need structured efforts and frameworks.
“Without this framework, the countries are at risk of succumbing to the cycle of violence,” Kalu warned. He said parliaments can help turn fragile agreements into binding regulations.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the international system is facing a deep legitimacy crisis, warning that diplomacy has been replaced by weapons, as he called for renewed efforts toward dialogue, justice and peace.
Addressing the 152nd General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Erdoğan expressed hope that discussions and decisions made during the gathering would strengthen solidarity among nations and contribute to resolving ongoing crises, particularly the Israeli violence in Gaza.
He emphasized that the global system established after World War II is losing credibility, with its core values, rules and institutions increasingly undermined.
“The international system established by the victors 80 years ago is now facing a deep crisis of legitimacy,” he said.
Erdoğan noted that international law has lost its deterrent effect on actors committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, adding that a growing reliance on military force instead of diplomacy has created an environment where no one feels secure.
He reaffirmed that Türkiye’s foreign policy prioritizes resolving conflicts through peaceful means, stressing that sustainable peace cannot be achieved without the active involvement of regional actors.
Erdoğan highlighted Türkiye’s diplomatic efforts in regions including Gaza, Ukraine, Iran and Africa, describing them as grounded in principled and realistic approaches.
He also underlined the critical role of parliaments in representing the will of nations and contributing to global peace efforts, while criticizing the international community’s slow response to crises in the Middle East.
Erdoğan pointed to recent developments, noting that while global attention has shifted to tensions involving Iran, thousands of people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Palestine and Lebanon, with more than one million displaced in Lebanon.
Turkish authorities detained 12 suspects in a coordinated operation across nine provinces targeting a cybercrime network accused of infiltrating public institutions’ digital systems and exploiting citizens’ personal data, officials said.
The operation, led by the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), was carried out in cooperation with the Cyber Security Directorate, the Gendarmerie General Command and the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), following a joint investigation into the group’s activities.
Raids were conducted early in the morning in Istanbul, Konya, Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa, Manisa, Mardin, Batman, Çanakkale and Hakkari, centered on the capital Ankara, where prosecutors are overseeing the case. Authorities said the suspects were apprehended in simultaneous operations targeting what they described as an organized cybercrime structure.
According to security sources, the network had been under surveillance by MIT as part of an intelligence-led probe into attempts to gain unauthorized access to government information systems.
Investigators found that the group used malicious software to target login credentials of public sector employees, enabling them to infiltrate systems and carry out transactions through compromised accounts.
The stolen data was allegedly distributed through a multilayered network and sold for profit under a “franchise-like” model to third parties. Officials said the information was marketed to various criminal actors, including fraud networks and, in some cases, groups linked to terrorism-related activities.
During the operation, authorities seized numerous domestic and foreign-based servers, data storage systems and digital materials believed to be connected to the network. Forensic examinations by the Cyber Security Directorate revealed that the suspects actively operated systems allowing unauthorized queries of personal data.
Investigators also identified multiple cryptocurrency wallets and digital financial assets linked to the group, which are now under examination as part of the financial dimension of the probe.
One key suspect, accused of building and managing the network’s technical infrastructure and operating under a code name to conceal his identity, was detained in the southeastern province of Mardin. Authorities allege he played a central role in expanding the network by facilitating data-sharing with various criminal entities.
Officials said the investigation remains ongoing and could expand as new evidence emerges, emphasizing that efforts to dismantle cybercrime networks will continue.
In 2025, MIT intensified efforts against cybercrime and illegal access to personal data. In coordination with the Gendarmerie General Command, the National Cyber Incident Response Center (USOM) and the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), multiple operations were carried out across several provinces.
Throughout the year, more than 1,200 fraudulent websites linked to cyber fraud schemes were shut down.
Qatar’s Shura Council Speaker Hassan bin Abdullah al-Ghanim on Thursday highlighted the growing diplomatic influence of Türkiye and Qatar, saying the two countries play a key role in mediating regional conflicts and supporting humanitarian efforts, particularly in Gaza.
Speaking on the sidelines of the 152nd General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Istanbul, al-Ghanim described the forum as a high-profile platform for international cooperation. He emphasized that Ankara and Doha maintain “deep-rooted and strategic” ties, marked by close coordination on political and humanitarian issues.
“Türkiye and Qatar play a very important role in resolving disputes and conflicts,” al-Ghanim said, noting their joint mediation efforts in regional crises and their ability to maintain dialogue between opposing sides.
He also underscored Qatar’s ongoing support for Palestinians, particularly in Gaza, where humanitarian conditions have sharply deteriorated amid the continuing conflict. Doha has been a central mediator in cease-fire negotiations and hostage exchanges, working alongside partners including Egypt and the United States, according to reports from international agencies.
Türkiye, for its part, has been one of the most vocal advocates for a cease-fire and increased humanitarian access. Ankara has delivered aid shipments, hosted diplomatic talks and pushed for international recognition of Palestinian statehood. The Turkish Parliament also launched initiatives such as a parliamentary group focused on Palestine and Jerusalem.
Al-Ghanim said the Qatari Shura Council is coordinating closely with Turkish lawmakers to align parliamentary efforts aimed at easing Palestinian suffering and mobilizing global support.
Beyond Gaza, Türkiye and Qatar have expanded cooperation across defense, trade and diplomacy over the past decade. The two countries have also worked in tandem on regional issues, including conflicts involving Iran and broader Middle East security challenges, often positioning themselves as key intermediaries.
Their partnership, al-Ghanim said, continues to contribute to stability through dialogue and coordinated action.
Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş held a series of bilateral meetings on Friday with his counterparts from Russia, Georgia, Luxembourg and others, focusing on parliamentary cooperation as well as regional and global developments.
The talks took place on the sidelines of the 152nd assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, hosted in Istanbul.
In his meeting with the Russian Parliament speaker, Kurtulmuş welcomed Federation Council Chair Valentina Matviyenko and said he hoped the gathering would deepen dialogue. He pointed to close ties between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin as a driver of cooperation across multiple fields, and said parliamentary engagement could further strengthen relations.
Kurtulmuş reiterated Ankara’s opposition to unilateral sanctions on Russia, arguing they carry broader political and humanitarian consequences. He also highlighted the importance Türkiye places on Moscow’s support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, calling for stronger international efforts to halt Israel’s actions in Palestinian territories.
Matviyenko said her recent meeting with Erdoğan had been productive and credited leadership-level contacts for advancing bilateral ties. She added that closer parliamentary coordination would help expand cooperation and reaffirmed Russia’s backing of a two-state solution.
In talks with Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, Kurtulmuş stressed the importance of peace and stability in the Caucasus. He called for strengthening the Türkiye-Georgia-Azerbaijan trilateral mechanism and suggested broader regional cooperation could be pursued with Armenia’s inclusion.
He also underlined the goal of increasing bilateral trade to $5 billion and described the Middle Corridor as strategically important for both commerce and regional stability. Kurtulmuş said lasting peace in the Black Sea, Middle East, Eastern Mediterranean and Caucasus would contribute to wider prosperity.
Papuashvili, for his part, welcomed the opportunity to attend the IPU gathering and expressed condolences over the victims of a recent school attack in Türkiye.
During a separate meeting with Luxembourg’s parliament speaker Claude Wiseler, Kurtulmuş emphasized the value of stronger cooperation between NATO allies, particularly in defense. He also highlighted Türkiye’s diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war and its preference for dialogue in addressing regional tensions.
Kurtulmuş criticized Israel’s actions in the region and underscored the importance of recent moves by several Western countries, including Luxembourg, to recognize Palestine, saying such steps help sustain momentum toward a two-state solution.
The Turkish army has long been in the top 10 in international rankings for military strength. Now, it plans to further bolster its standing, as the Defense Ministry said in a statement on Thursday that it is planning to set up new commando brigades.
The statement said the ministry was following changes in the nature of warfare and technology and was “updating its structure based on needs and the experience drawn from the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran.”
“In this context, we started work on increasing the number of commando brigades. They will be different than the current brigades and will be set up with a modern understanding, compatible with current threat assessment and operation concepts,” the ministry said.
Türkiye is part of the NATO alliance, where it retains the second-biggest army. The army is battle-tested in counterterrorism operations and serves in various NATO missions, particularly in the Balkans. The country is on alert against the expanding Israeli threat in the region, which peaked with the war on Iran. Israel, in the meantime, drums up a threatening narrative toward Türkiye, which has been a strong opponent of the genocidal regime in the face of atrocities in Gaza and beyond.
At a weekly press briefing at the National Defense University in Istanbul, ministry spokesperson Brig. Adm. Zeki Aktürk said the army served in a wide region as part of bilateral relations and international missions. He recalled that Turkish F-16 fighter jets and ATAK and Cougar helicopters performed a salute flight in Somalia’s Mogadishu on April 12, as part of celebrations for the anniversary of Somalia’s army.
Aktürk said that they would continue to support permanent peace and efforts to upgrade the temporary cease-fire in the U.S.-Israel-Iran war to a permanent one, “before it becomes more complex and unmanageable.”
Emphasizing that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) continue to improve their operational capabilities through national and international training and exercise activities, bringing modern warfare capabilities to advanced levels and increasing effectiveness and deterrence, Aktürk listed several exercises the army participated in recently.
“The activities for the Distinguished Observer Day of the Computer-Aided Command Post Phase of the EFES-2026 Combined Joint Operation Exercise, coordinated by the Aegean Army Command and held between April 11-17, were conducted in Istanbul yesterday and are being held in Izmir today. The live-fire phase of the EFES Exercise will take place in Izmir between April 20 and May 21. The Dynamic Minotaur/Kurtaran Submarine Search and Rescue Exercise, hosted by our country with the participation of 20 countries, is being held in the Eastern Mediterranean on April 15-21. The Distinguished Observer Day of the exercise will be held on April 20 aboard the TCG Alemdar. Our ships TCG Gaziantep, TCG Bayraktar, TCG Bartın, and TCG Yüzbaşı Güngör Durmuş, along with the Çağrı Bey drilling ship and accompanying support vessels, reached Mogadishu, Somalia, on April 9-10. Our frigate TCG Gaziantep and our fuel ship TCG Yüzbaşı Güngör Durmuş continue their mission of escorting and protecting the Çağrı Bey Drilling Ship off the coast of Somalia,” he said.
Aktürk stated that the army continues to modernize its defense capabilities with the opportunities provided by the local and national defense industry. Stating that efforts to further increase the army’s advanced technological equipment and deterrent power continue, Aktürk pointed out that the Land Forces Command recently commissioned a number of Fırtına-2 howitzers as well as Akıncı drones.
“Additionally, various quantities of ACAR 300-G ground and UAV surveillance radars by Aselsan have been delivered to our land forces,” he said.
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