Politics
Turkish-American community protests Mamdani’s remarks over 1915 events
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani incurred the wrath of the Turkish American community after his remarks regarding the so-called Armenian “genocide.”
The community on Monday staged a protest where several Turkish associations rallied in Times Square. Protesters chanted slogans and carried placards to protest the remarks, while a small group of Armenian Americans confronted the protesters.
Digital trucks displaying information countering the claims mentioned by Mamdani also passed through Times Square. Trucks displayed information about the history of the issue, as well as information about Turkish diplomats and civilians killed by the Armenian terrorist group ASALA in the 1970s and 1980s, including in the U.S.
Participants said in a statement issued regarding the protest that the mayor’s characterization of recent developments in Karabakh was inaccurate. The statement noted that, as mayor of a city bringing together diverse cultures and ethnic groups, Mamdani’s remarks risk alienating communities he is responsible for serving.
It also stressed that the events of 1915-1923 should be evaluated in light of historical facts and called for avoiding rhetoric that deepens misunderstandings.
In his social media post marking the anniversary of the 1915 events, Mamdani said “1.5 million Armenians” were killed by the Ottoman Empire and claimed that Azerbaijan and Türkiye attacked Armenians in Karabakh in 2020, adding that more than 100,000 Armenians were “expelled” from the region in 2023.
Türkiye objects to the presentation of the 1915 incidents as “genocide,” describing them as a tragedy in which both sides suffered casualties.
Ankara has repeatedly proposed the creation of a joint commission of historians from Türkiye and Armenia, as well as international experts, to tackle the issue.
Gökhan Doğan, vice president of the Turkish American National Steering Committee, said at the rally that they convened to exhibit a strong stand against the remarks. “Mamdani’s words deeply hurt the Turkish American community. It has been a routine for Armenians to bring their lies into politics. We will continue telling that this should remain a matter for historians. We are deeply affected that Mamdani joined this plot,” he said. Doğan said that their community would remain standing united against untrue allegations.
Addressing the protest, Gülay Aydemir, chair of the Federation of Turkish American Associations, said it does not matter who voiced the lies. “We are here for Türkiye to advocate the truth. I believe we have to raise our voice stronger against the mayor’s remarks. As long as we stand united, such remarks will not be repeated,” she said.
Mamdani’s remarks also irked Türkiye, while the mayor also claimed that Türkiye “attacked Karabakh” in the same social media post during Azerbaijan’s offensive to liberate its territory from the Armenian occupation in 2020. Yet, Türkiye had a toned-down or more general response to the allegations of genocide.
Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on April 24 that a growing climate of peace and reconciliation in the South Caucasus reflects a strong push by regional actors seeking stability and cooperation, while warning against efforts to inflame tensions rooted in historical disputes. In a statement, the ministry said parties involved in discussions over the events of 1915 share a clear stance against the politicization of the issue, criticizing some third-country politicians for exploiting the matter for narrow political interests or to deflect from their own responsibilities.
Ankara reiterated that Türkiye, which it said has long embodied a culture of coexistence, has opened its archives and continues to support the establishment of a joint history commission to examine the events of 1915 in a fair and objective manner. The proposal, the ministry noted, remains on the table. Calling for a forward-looking approach, the ministry urged third parties with constructive intentions to support ongoing dialogue efforts and contribute to building a shared and just historical understanding, as well as reinforcing the region’s emerging atmosphere of cooperation.
Türkiye’s position on the 1915 events is that the deaths of Armenians in eastern Anatolia took place when some sided with the invading Russians and revolted against Ottoman forces. A subsequent relocation of Armenians resulted in numerous casualties, made worse by massacres conducted by militaries and militia groups from both sides. The mass arrests of prominent Ottoman Armenian politicians, intellectuals and other community members suspected of links with separatist groups, harboring nationalist sentiments and being hostile to Ottoman rule occurred in the then-capital city of Istanbul on April 24, 1915. The date is commemorated as the beginning of later “atrocities.” Ankara objects to the presentation of these incidents as “genocide,” describing them as a tragedy in which both sides suffered casualties.
Ankara is of the opinion that controversial episodes in history, such as the events of 1915, should be studied without prejudice by respecting the scientific and legal principles to write a just account of the incidents. With this understanding, Türkiye proposed the establishment of a Joint History Commission and opened its archives.
Mamdani’s statements had prompted Azerbaijan to issue a scathing criticism as well. Aykhan Hajizada, spokesperson for Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry, responded to statements regarding Karabakh on social media on April 25 and has called Mamdani to “act responsibly and refrain from spreading misinformation.”
“We reject your inflammatory statement. Such remarks demonstrate a lack of understanding of history and realities of the region, and distort facts for political narratives. In 2020, Azerbaijan acted within its internationally recognized sovereign territory, in line with international law and UN Security Council resolutions. The counter-terror measures of 2023 resulted in restoration of Azerbaijan’s constitutional order following three decades of illegal occupation. Claims of ‘expulsion’ ignore the fact that Armenian residents were offered reintegration, full equal rights, and security guarantees. It is particularly troubling that an elected official promotes one-sided narratives while ignoring ethnic cleansing and massacres against hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis during the occupation period, as well as destruction of cultural and religious heritage.”
Such reckless statements are unacceptable and should be removed without delay, Hajizada said in his post.
Türkiye criticized the European Union on Monday following the European Commission’s appointment of a new special representative for the island of Cyprus, accusing the bloc of maintaining a biased approach to the decades-old dispute.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Öncü Keçeli said Ankara views the appointment as an internal matter of the European Union, as it has with previous appointments.
However, Keçeli argued that the EU lost its neutrality on the Cyprus issue when it admitted the Greek Cypriot administration as a member in 2004 despite its rejection of the U.N.-backed Annan Plan.
He also accused EU institutions, including the European Parliament, of continuing with a one-sided approach to the issue.
Keçeli said Ankara expects the newly appointed envoy to work toward changing the EU’s position and to recognize that a lasting settlement can only be achieved through negotiations between “two sovereignly equal states” based on the realities on the island.
Türkiye supports a two-state solution for the island, while the United Nations continues to back a federal settlement framework.
Egypt’s Defense Minister Lt. Gen. Ashraf Salem Zaher met his Turkish counterpart Yaşar Güler on Monday in Ankara. The two ministers signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for defense cooperation, the ministry announced after the meeting.
Ankara and Cairo gradually rebuilt their ties in the past three years after years of chill in their long-standing relationship. As Israel increased its violent campaign of expansion in the region, two countries grew closer. They explored more political, economic and security cooperation.
In his last visit to Egypt, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan highlighted the need to deepen cooperation, especially in maritime trade and transportation, freedom of navigation and maritime security.
The two countries have also coordinated on humanitarian efforts related to Gaza, which is bordered by Egypt.
Earlier this month, Türkiye and Egypt also signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the use of maritime routes and regional and international transport corridors.
A neocon turned staunch supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump, Lindsey Graham was known for his hawkish stance on relations with Türkiye, his country’s main ally in NATO. This stand changed at times, but the veteran U.S. senator who passed away on Saturday after a brief, sudden illness, according to a statement by his office, will be remembered for his rhetoric opposing Türkiye’s interests at every turn.
Some hardline Turkish media outlets reported his death as the demise of “an enemy of Turks,” while others were more restrained, though they reminded readers of Graham’s checkered past when it came to U.S. foreign policy on Türkiye.
Being on good terms with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (who described him as the greatest friend of Israel) could be sufficient for Türkiye to doubt his apparently softening stance toward the country in his last days. Netanyahu is among the most unloved figures in Türkiye nowadays due to his genocidal campaign against Palestinians. Still, Graham had multiple opportunities to meet Turkish officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, during his four tenures in Washington, D.C. Indeed, his last overseas visit was to Ankara for the NATO summit, which also marked Trump’s inaugural presidential visit to the Turkish capital.
The South Carolina senator was an influential political figure, and at one point, Türkiye tried to change his mind about the country, especially after he championed sanctions against Ankara. In 2019, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan even had Graham seated next to him as they attended a classical music concert in Ankara in January 2019. The two men met again in 2022 when Erdoğan visited New York to attend the U.N. General Assembly. In his remarks to reporters on the sidelines of the NATO summit, where he accompanied Trump, Graham demonstrated that he had changed his mind regarding the sale of F-35 fighter jets to the country and said he hoped the Senate would approve it while he branded Türkiye as an important ally.
Before this apparent U-turn, Graham remained a steadfast opponent of Türkiye in Congress, particularly regarding Türkiye’s cross-border operations in neighboring Syria in the Assad era. Graham’s main concern was protecting “Kurds” in Syria, a definition he broadly used for the terrorist group YPG. When Türkiye launched operations against terrorists who threatened Turkish border towns with attacks, Graham stepped up his anti-Turkish rhetoric. Last January, Graham was also behind the Save the Kurds Act, which he introduced against what he called “attacks” on the YPG by the new Syrian administration. Graham also long stood for his opposition to Türkiye’s acquisition of S-400 air defense systems from Russia and repeatedly warned against the sale of U.S. weapons to Türkiye.
Graham threatened sanctions against Türkiye and, at one point, even called for Ankara’s suspension from NATO if it continues targeting the YPG and co-sponsored legislation for sanctions on Turkish officials.
When Türkiye turned to the acquisition of the S-400 missile defense system from Russia amid a lack of U.S. military support, Graham voiced opposition and in 2019, suggested the White House immediately implement sanctions if the S-400 deployment proceeds. His proposal evolved into the implementation of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) and Türkiye’s removal from the multinational F-35 program. It took seven years to undo the damage this left on Türkiye, and even so, this was partial. U.S. President Donald Trump was enthusiastic about relations with Türkiye, as his remarks in Ankara before and after the NATO summit indicated, and pledged to work to reverse the sanctions, as well as to approve the sale of fighter jets. The progress is expected to also facilitate the sale of engines for Türkiye’s locally made Kaan fighter jet. All this happened before the very eyes of Graham at the heart of Ankara as the senator who long stood his ground against Türkiye appeared to finally relent to Trump’s decision to improve ties with Türkiye, which had deteriorated during his first tenure and the entire tenure of Joe Biden.
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek emphasized that the death of its ringleader Fetullah Gülen was not an end for Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) and the group was trying to cover up its tracks while attempting to revive, reinvent itself through front companies and social media groups while kept its financial network alive.
Gürlek spoke to the Sabah newspaper ahead of the 10th anniversary of July 15 coup attempt which was foiled at the cost of more than 250 civilian lives. Gürlek, who was appointed as justice minister in February, was a judge in Istanbul at the time of the coup attempt. During his pre-ministry career, Gürlek handled several FETÖ-related cases.
The minister told Sabah that the fight against FETÖ was not simply a criminal proceeding but a “Great Cleansing of the State,” referring to the terrorist group’s widespread infiltration into state agencies. FETÖ is accused of infiltrating its members into the judiciary, law enforcement, the army and other key institutions, something that facilitated its 2016 attempt. Before the 2016 coup attempt, authorities have been working on the expulsion of FETÖ-linked people working in the state institutions and managed to weed out hundreds. This process sped up after the coup attempt, which killed 252 people and injured 2,740 others.
Resistance against the coup was unprecedented in the history of modern Türkiye, which was stained with multiple coups. Gürlek defines it as one of the most glorious days for the Turkish nation. “People’s unity reflected the words of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan: ‘I recognize no authority above the will of the nation,’” Gürlek says.
Unlike other terrorist groups, which often resort solely to terror attacks like bombings, FETÖ cultivated a sinister plot to take over the state over decades, skillfully having its infiltrators blending with ordinary people. Gürlek terms it as “next-generation espionage network that uses state’s power against state itself.” “They did not turn to arming themselves and openly declaring a fight against (Türkiye). Instead, they created a complex network benefiting from the state’s own power. We are talking about a network exploiting religious values, creating secret cells unaware of each other and having members leading double lives to hide their loyalty to the group,” he said.
Gürlek noted that up until July 15, 2016, the group did not disclose how it can turn into an armed force. “They are a network of professionals who posed as legitimate people. Coupled with their international network, it is safe to say that they are both a terrorist group and an espionage network,” he said.
The minister stated that the October 2024 death of FETÖ leader Fetullah Gülen “definitely does not mean that the threat is gone.” “As our president earlier said, FETÖ is not simply a terrorist group devoted to its leader. It is the tentacles of a global (threat). Although our state dealt a major blow to this sinister network, it still seeks to keep itself alive with its fugitive members abroad. Currently, they are working to revive their networks and financial sources. Our assessment is that they are trying to establish new contacts, especially through commercial activities. They set up front companies, and they hide themselves among other social groups. Those abroad cooperate with anti-Turkish lobbies and carry out a campaign of disinformation online. ‘Crypto’ members of the group remain that way and are seeking to find secret financial resources,” he warned.
Gürlek also said that they would remain vigilant till “the full cleaning.” “We are committed to fight against FETÖ and we will not rest,” he said.
Gürlek pointed out that a total of 1,065 operations were carried out against FETÖ by security forces in the first six months of 2026 and 2,451 suspects were detained. He stated that since FETÖ was designed as a terror threat shortly after its first coup attempts in 2013, authorities launched criminal proceedings against 720,338 people and 636,934 among them were either convicted or acquitted. He noted that 127,102 suspects, among them were convicted of various crimes. He noted that investigations and trials were still underway for another 83,404 suspects in investigations focused on FETÖ.
Separately, Burhanettin Duran, head of the Turkish Presidency’s Communications Directorate, announced on Sunday that they prevented access to 2,702 social media accounts linked to FETÖ in the past month. In a social media post, Duran said that the directorate was in coordination with relevant agencies for comprehensive digital surveillance and analysis against FETÖ.
“The digital domain is an integral part of our national security. Under no circumstances will terrorist groups be allowed to use social media and digital platforms for propaganda, recruitment, financing, disinformation, or psychological operations. We will continue to closely monitor the digital ecosystem in coordination with all relevant institutions, swiftly identify and take the necessary measures against any threats targeting our national security, and ensure that our citizens have access to accurate information to counter disinformation,” he said.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will represent Türkiye at the leaders’ summit of the Coalition of the Willing in Paris on Monday.
Foreign Ministry sources said Fidan will discuss decisions made at NATO’s Ankara summit on July 7-8 on the future of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was among the participants of the summit that renewed a pledge to aid Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.
Sources said Fidan would reaffirm Türkiye’s support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and convey Türkiye’s assessment of the latest situation in the conflict and the state of diplomatic efforts to end the war.
Türkiye has been among the countries managing to bring warring sides together in Istanbul and has repeatedly expressed its commitment to do so again. Fidan will also highlight Türkiye’s call for safeguarding peace and stability in the Black Sea. Additionally, he will highlight the need to sustain coordination in clarifying the legal and political framework for the activities of the Coalition of the Willing.
The coalition was founded in March 2025 by the United Kingdom and France for a lasting and fair peace. It has more than 30 members, mostly European countries. Türkiye has been part of the coalition since its foundation. Fidan has also attended the leaders’ summit of the coalition on Jan. 6.
NATO chief Mark Rutte and Zelenskyy will also join the meeting in Paris to support Ukraine, the French presidency said on Friday.
The meeting will be aimed at building on momentum to help Ukraine following the NATO summit. The Elysee said that planning was still underway for security guarantees for when a cease-fire is reached between Ukraine and Russia.
French President Emmanuel Macron said in Ankara he would use the summit of Ukraine’s allies to unveil new defense initiatives and joint military exercises, presenting the gathering as further evidence that Europe was assuming greater responsibility for its own security.
The meeting will also focus on tackling Russia’s shadow fleet, new military capabilities for Ukraine, greater mobilization of defense industries and deeper operational cooperation among Kyiv’s backers, Macron said in Ankara.
U.S. President Donald Trump showed a more favorable stance toward Kyiv in its battle against Russia at the recent G-7 and NATO summits.
Two more countries, Moldova and North Macedonia, have joined the coalition, the Elysee said. EU leaders Ursula von der Leyen and Antonio Costa are also set to attend Monday’s meeting, the French presidency said.
Ousted chair of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Özgür Özel rides a wave of popularity among opponents of former leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who was reinstated to the top post in May by a court verdict. Özel, who has been touring Türkiye since he was forced to step down, seeks to garner public support as his camp promotes his campaign as a march to power.
Over the weekend, Özel, now parliamentary group chair of CHP, hit out at the government while claiming that he may return to his post and signaling that he may “carve out a new path,” implying establishing a new party with his supporters.
Özel aims to drum up support for a general election earlier than the scheduled 2028 while sticking to legal procedures for his call for an extraordinary intraparty election at the CHP, confident he would be elected again. The Kılıçdaroğlu administration pledged to hold an election but not before autumn. The administration also fast-tracked expulsions of any figures in the party supporting Özel, from provincial chairs to lawmakers, though the process may take a long time due to appeals procedures. As the process drags on, the Özel supporters express frustration and often flood social media with messages for the foundation of a new party. The Özel camp initially sought to join an existing party before abandoning these plans and it is still unclear what their next step will be, with Özel saying nothing openly about plans, despite the possibility that the general elections may be rescheduled to late 2027. A new party may be a risky gambit for Özel as Kılıçdaroğlu still retains a semblance of support among die-hard CHP voters. Political pundits say it may further fracture already divided opposition, which failed to beat Erdoğan even when they created a six-party bloc in 2023 under the leadership of presidential candidate Kılıçdaroğlu.
He was in a village in central Türkiye’s Niğde on Sunday before he traveled downtown and addressed a crowd after climbing up a park bench. Özel told the crowd that he was the only CHP chair to beat President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, citing his party’s gains in the 2024 municipal elections against Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party (AK Party). “Let us compete again and we will beat you,” he told his supporters. CHP currently touts former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu as its presidential candidate but Imamoğlu remains jailed on a spate of charges, from corruption to holding a fake diploma, while the Kılıçdaroğlu camp has not declared its support for his future candidacy. Although he does not have a party where he or other lawmakers are eligible to run for the presidency, Özel said he was “ahead of the opinion polls.”
At Saturday’s rally in the southern city of Adana, Özel said he would not “rush” his next move but neither would he be “late.” “We don’t have party offices or resources now, but we are here with thousands, unlike those who cannot leave their offices,” Özel told his supporters in a thinly veiled criticism against Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, who rarely attended any public events except funerals since he took office and shunned addressing the party at its weekly parliamentary group meetings.
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