Politics
Turkish police detain 15 linked to suspended Uşak mayor’s business
Turkish police detained 15 suspects Wednesday in an investigation alleging that individuals were fraudulently registered as employees of municipal companies while actually working at businesses owned by the Republican People’s Party’s (CHP) suspended Uşak Mayor Özkan Yalım, prosecutors said.
The Uşak Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office issued detention warrants for 22 suspects as part of an investigation into alleged aggravated fraud causing losses to public institutions. Police said the suspects were listed as insured employees of municipality-owned companies despite allegedly working at Yalım’s hotel, restaurant and entertainment venues.
Authorities said 15 suspects were detained in coordinated raids, while five were already in custody on unrelated charges. Efforts to locate the remaining two suspects were ongoing.
Police also seized multiple digital devices during the operation.
Yalım was arrested in March in a separate investigation into alleged bribery, extortion and bid-rigging involving the Uşak Municipality and was later suspended from office pending trial.
On corruption in the Uşak municipality, Yalım said they created fictitious job positions at the municipality for the players of the sports club Uşakspor, as well as the spouses of some players. He confessed that he used donations to the municipality for his private expenses on several occasions, expressing regret and offering to pay them back.
Yalım was expelled from his party, almost two months after his arrest in Ankara on charges of corruption.
Türkiye and Iraq agreed on Tuesday to deepen cooperation across security, energy, defense, trade and infrastructure, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan saying the two neighbors are committed to building a region defined by stability and development rather than conflict while pursuing a comprehensive new energy partnership.
Erdoğan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi held talks at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, where they signed a series of agreements aimed at expanding bilateral cooperation and strengthening regional stability.
At a joint news conference following the meeting, Erdoğan said Türkiye and Iraq remain in close coordination on counterterrorism efforts under Ankara’s Terror-Free Türkiye initiative, expressing confidence that both countries can permanently eliminate a security challenge that has imposed a high cost on their peoples.
“We are striving for our region to be known not for war, terrorism and conflict, but for development, prosperity, peace and stability,” Erdoğan said.
The Turkish president said discussions covered regional developments, including Iran, Syria and Palestine, while reaffirming Ankara’s readiness to support Iraq “in every field it needs.” Erdoğan also said Ankara and Baghdad shared largely similar views on regional developments, praising Iraq’s efforts to preserve its unity and stability while highlighting Baghdad’s sensitivity toward Iraqi Turkmens, whom he described as an indispensable part of Syria’s social fabric and a key pillar of the longstanding brotherhood between the two nations.
Erdoğan also said Türkiye is prepared to supply Iraq with defense industry products as the two countries expand security cooperation amid regional tensions.
Economic cooperation featured prominently during the talks, with Erdoğan describing the Development Road Project – which aims to connect the Gulf region to global markets through Iraq – as more important than ever under current geopolitical conditions. He said he welcomed al-Zaidi’s strong commitment to advancing the strategic transport corridor.
Energy emerged as another key pillar of the partnership. Erdoğan noted that the Iraq-Türkiye Crude Oil Pipeline Agreement expired on Monday and said Ankara’s priority is to conclude a comprehensive energy cooperation agreement that will benefit both countries as soon as possible.
He also described a new agreement signed Tuesday on cooperation involving Turkish Petroleum in production fields as “a historic step” for bilateral energy ties.
Beyond energy and security, Erdoğan said Türkiye and Iraq are determined to strengthen cooperation on sustainable water management, emphasizing that Ankara views water as an area for long-term cooperation based on scientific, rational and humanitarian principles.
The Turkish president added that both sides aim to significantly increase bilateral trade and welcomed the participation of Iraqi and Turkish business leaders, contractors and investors in meetings held alongside the official visit.
Ankara visit aims to deepen centuries-old ties with Türkiye: Iraqi PM
For his part, al-Zaidi said that his visit to Ankara was aimed at strengthening the longstanding ties between Iraq and Türkiye rather than fulfilling a diplomatic protocol, emphasizing the two countries’ commitment to deeper cooperation.
“Our visit is not merely a matter of protocol, but a sign of strengthening relations that date back centuries,” al-Zaidi said.
He noted that Iraq seeks “a partnership based on brotherhood,” adding that the two countries are working in particular on the Development Road Project, a major infrastructure initiative intended to connect the Gulf with global markets through Iraq.
“Geography has naturally given us two rivers. Now we want a third river. Let this be a river of economy, and that, of course, is the Development Road,” al-Zaidi said, describing the project as a symbol of economic cooperation between the two neighboring countries.
Al-Zaidi arrived in Ankara on Tuesday for his inaugural visit at the invitation of President Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday.
Al-Zaidi was received at the airport by Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat and was welcomed by Erdoğan in an official ceremony at the presidential complex later in the day.
This is the first visit to Türkiye by the young prime minister since he took office in May.
Sinem Dedetaş, who was elected mayor of Istanbul’s Üsküdar district for the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) in 2024, joined the growing list of mayors detained in corruption investigations on Wednesday.
Dedetaş is among six suspects facing allegations of bribery, corruption, and operating a criminal network. The other suspects are municipal officials. In a written statement, the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office on Istanbul’s Asian side, where Üsküdar is located, said the detentions stemmed from an investigation launched following tipoffs and expanded through the testimony of alleged victims of corruption as well as suspects who cooperated with authorities.
Prosecutors allege that Kent A.Ş., a municipal subsidiary with no legal authority over the issuance of building permits, was nevertheless involved in the permitting process. According to the investigation, its staff established a secret communication network in which land parcels and buildings requiring permits were color-coded to coordinate the process.
According to the statement, records from Turkey’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) showed that Kent A.Ş. and contractors signed numerous sham “consultancy services” agreements totaling more than TL 1 million. Through these agreements, prosecutors allege that more than TL 361 million was unlawfully obtained from contractors who were coerced into making payments in exchange for building permits as part of the activities of an organized criminal group operating within Üsküdar Municipality and Kent A.Ş. The statement said these findings were supported by testimony from affected contractors and reports by the Provincial Directorate of Environment and Urbanization.
The statement further said that a referral report prepared by inspectors from the Ministry of Interior concluded that Dedetaş played a decisive role in establishing an organizational link between Üsküdar Municipality and Kent A.Ş. that went beyond the normal relationship between a municipality and its subsidiary. According to the report, contractors were allegedly forced to sign sham agreements with Kent A.Ş. as a prerequisite for obtaining building permits, thereby generating unofficial income.
The statement also alleged that Dedetaş’s involvement in delaying procedures and contributing to pressure on contractors constituted the criminal offense of extortion by a public official. It added that responsibility for issuing occupancy permits rested with the Üsküdar Municipality Building Control Directorate.
According to prosecutors, meetings chaired by Kent A.Ş. General Manager N.A. were held to determine how much money would be demanded from contractors in exchange for occupancy permits, depending on the nature of each building’s regulatory violations. Prosecutors allege that part of the bribe money was distributed among municipal personnel according to their positions and authority, while another portion was delivered in cash to N.A. to cover expenses requested by Dedetaş’s office.
Turkish Cypriot President Tufan Erhürman and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres met on Tuesday as part of the U.N. head’s latest diplomatic effort to revive stalled negotiations over the divided island, with both expressing support for confidence-building measures and a renewed approach to the decades-old Cyprus dispute.
The meeting took place at the Turkish Cypriot presidential office after Guterres held talks earlier in the day with Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides in the southern part of the island.
Speaking before the closed-door meeting, Erhürman said the Turkish Cypriot side remained committed to working toward a “fair and lasting” settlement while emphasizing the need for a different negotiating framework from previous rounds of talks.
“I believe you are aware of the Turkish Cypriot people’s strong commitment to a fair and lasting solution,” Erhürman noted. “We are doing our best regarding confidence-building measures. Unlike the experiences of 2004 and 2017, we are now working on a new and realistic methodology that can help us achieve our common goal.”
He also expressed support for the U.N. secretary-general’s mediation efforts, saying the Turkish Cypriot side would continue to contribute to the process.
“We strongly support your efforts and welcome them. You can be assured that we will continue to do our utmost,” Erhürman said.
Guterres reiterated the United Nations’ commitment to supporting dialogue between the island’s Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities, while stressing that any lasting settlement would also require the involvement of Cyprus’ guarantor powers.
“We are determined to do everything possible to support the two communities in their search for a solution,” Guterres stressed. “We recognize that a solution also depends on the contribution of the guarantor countries. For that reason, we attach great importance to every effort that strengthens the well-being of the two communities and their commitment to reaching a settlement.”
The U.N. chief said there were important opportunities ahead and pledged continued support for initiatives that could move the process forward.
“I am very pleased to be here. Thank you for your kind hospitality,” he said.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Guterres said his visit was intended to reaffirm the United Nations’ support for efforts to resolve the decades-old Cyprus dispute.
“Once again, I want to say that I came here to express my solidarity with the people of Cyprus and my determination to contribute to finding a solution together with the Cypriots and the guarantor countries,” Guterres said.
The U.N. chief also emphasized the importance of expanding confidence-building measures that could benefit both communities on the divided island.
On Wednesday, Guterres is expected to hold a trilateral meeting with Erhürman and Christodoulides at the U.N. Good Offices Mission headquarters in the buffer zone. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. local time, and the secretary-general is expected to hold a news conference afterward.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from both sides, including U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the secretary-general’s personal envoy for Cyprus Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar and U.N. peacekeeping mission chief Khassim Diagne.
The visit marks the first by a U.N. secretary-general to Cyprus since Ban Ki-moon traveled to the island in 2010.
Speaking at the second Communication Council organized by the Turkish Presidency’s Directorate of Communications in Ankara on Tuesday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan urged caution against the communication challenges of the digital age and what he described as “algorithm fascism.”
“The masses are being ensnared by algorithm fascism, and the gap between facts and perception is being closed,” Erdoğan told the gathering of media professionals, academics and other communication experts. He underlined that the truth is under greater pressure in the era of digital communication.
“The truth is the primary victim of this process,” he said. “Knowledge is being used as a source of weakness instead of being a source of power,” he added.
The event, held under the theme “Century of Türkiye: The Century of Communication,” focuses on discussions of the country’s communication policies and future strategy.
The event’s second day will feature panel discussions at the Directorate of Communications Conference Hall, where experts from various disciplines will examine developments in the field of communication and exchange views on future policy priorities.
According to the directorate, the council aims to establish a practical framework for Türkiye’s Communication Model in line with the country’s “Century of Türkiye” vision. Participants from public institutions, the private sector, academia, civil society and the media are expected to assess current communication policies, identify challenges and propose recommendations for future implementation.
The event will also see the release of the Second Communication Council Reports and Second Communication Council Proceedings, prepared following consultations conducted by 425 participants across 16 working groups during a preparatory workshop held last year.
Officials said the council is intended to contribute to the development of public communication policies while providing a platform for stakeholders to exchange ideas on strengthening Türkiye’s communication strategy.
Erdoğan began his speech by commemorating journalists killed in Palestine in attacks by Israeli forces.
“The first of our Communication Councils was held 23 years ago, in 2003, providing a basis for productive discussions during a period when the media was being restructured in parallel with the widespread adoption of the internet. For a long time, there was a need for a comprehensive gathering that would bring together all stakeholders in the sector and chart a new course for the communication ecosystem in the face of changing conditions.
“With this understanding, we launched the preparatory work for the council last year. Over a period of one and a half years, we completed the process through an intensive schedule of workshops and other events. Our public institutions, universities, media and civil society organizations, the private sector – in short, all actors in the communication community – played active roles throughout the process.
“A total of 425 distinguished participants, each an expert in their respective fields, worked with great dedication across 16 separate working groups, producing new and effective proposals to address current challenges.
“Almost every day, new developments and advances are recorded in satellite and communication technologies. Any incident occurring on one side of the world reaches billions of people within minutes, or even seconds. New media tools and digital platforms have significantly increased the speed of information production and dissemination. Tasks that once took hours, days or weeks can now be completed in minutes with the push of a button or a single command.
“Especially with the emergence of artificial intelligence models, we are making maximum use of the advantages these technologies provide in every field, from education to media, transportation to trade, and health to agriculture.
“However, the discussion about the medium and the message also reveals a growing danger. These technologies, centered on data and information, affect the way we think and interpret events. Social media platforms, in particular, largely dictate which topics we focus on and for how long, as well as from what perspective we approach issues and even what reactions we give.
“In fact, they do not merely distort the present; they also falsify the past by constructing an imaginary history and an identity that is lifeless, soulless and devoid of depth. Therefore, this new environment carries the risk of eroding both our values and our culture through its psychological and sociological effects, from the individual level to society as a whole,” the president said.
Ahbap probe
The speech also marked the first time the president commented on a scandal that has been rocking the country.
Rock star Haluk Levent, who emerged as a prominent charity figure in the aftermath of the 2023 earthquakes in southern Türkiye, was recently arrested as part of an investigation into his Ahbap charity. Levent is accused of misusing funds donated to Ahbap, whose popularity skyrocketed after the earthquakes, including using the money to finance his gambling habits.
Ahbap had previously been promoted by numerous celebrities, many of whom later said they had been misled by Levent into donating to or promoting the charity. The investigation, which led to further arrests linked to the charity earlier this month, later expanded to include testimonies from celebrities who had publicly supported Ahbap in the past.
The charity also became a focal point of a campaign by opposition figures and pro-opposition celebrities criticizing the government’s response to the earthquakes, claiming the state had failed to provide adequate aid to affected areas. In the aftermath of the disaster, Ahbap was portrayed as doing more for earthquake victims than state agencies.
“The events following the Feb. 6 earthquakes clearly demonstrated the kinds of plots that were carried out. We are aware of how some ill-intentioned people who never even set foot in the disaster-hit areas criticized the government’s efforts,” Erdoğan said, without explicitly mentioning the investigation into Ahbap.
“The goodwill of our nation was exploited. Through all kinds of unethical conduct, attempts were made to pit the state against the people. We witnessed many different groups becoming involved. The documents that have emerged reveal the kinds of operations carried out against the nation in the aftermath of the earthquake,” Erdoğan said, referring to evidence in the investigation alleging that Levent collected money from businesspeople for his own benefit.
“Distorted relationships are coming to light one by one. Those responsible are being held accountable by our judiciary. Those who exploited the earthquake for political and economic opportunism are answering before justice. We will certainly do whatever is necessary within the framework of the law. We are fully determined in this regard. No matter where it leads, we will not allow those who seek to benefit from tension and polarization to use the means at their disposal as weapons against the state,” he said.
Syria has integrated about 9,000 former members of the U.S.-backed YPG forces into its national security institutions as part of a broader effort to unify the country’s armed forces, while appointing a former senior YPG official as a deputy defense minister, according to officials familiar with the process.
The integration marks one of the most significant steps in the implementation of an agreement between Damascus and the YPG aimed at dissolving the terrorist group into Syria’s state institutions following the fall of Bashar Assad’s government.
Roughly 5,000 former YPG fighters have joined the Syrian Defense Ministry, while another 4,000 have been incorporated into the Interior Ministry, officials said. Non-Syrian foreign fighters previously affiliated with the YPG have been removed from the country as part of the restructuring process.
Syrian authorities describe the process as a gradual, reciprocal approach sometimes referred to as a “zipper model,” under which security, administrative and political measures advance simultaneously to build confidence between the two sides.
The military integration has accelerated in recent months, while negotiations continue over local governance, political representation, constitutional reforms and language rights for Kurdish communities.
On Jan. 16, the Syrian army launched an offensive against YPG-controlled areas in northeastern Syria. After days of the offensive, the YPG consented to sign a new deal with Damascus on integrating both “administrative” and “military” structures of the YPG to post-Assad Syria. The terrorist group agreed that Syrian security forces would be deployed in Hassakeh and Qamishli, two key areas occupied by the YPG.
The agreement, which entered into force on Feb. 2, also includes provisions for transferring control of oil fields and border crossings to the central government. Syrian officials say it guarantees civil and educational rights for Kurdish citizens and supports the return of displaced people to their homes.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said the government distinguishes between Syria’s Kurdish population and the YPG as an armed group.
“Kurds and the YPG are two different issues,” al-Sharaa said, adding that citizenship rights previously denied under the former government had been restored, cultural rights had been recognized and Nowruz had been declared an official public holiday.
Al-Sharaa acknowledged that implementation of previous agreements with the terrorist group had faced setbacks but said the latest arrangement rests on a stronger foundation.
“We must avoid every option that could drag Syrians into a new conflict,” he said. “Every solution that prevents confrontation is valuable.”
A source close to the Syrian government told Al-Arabiya that the YPG is expected to formally announce its dissolution, along with the dissolution of the self-administration it established in parts of the country’s north and northeast.
According to the source, officials are expected to make the announcement at a news conference, although a date has not yet been finalized. The conference is expected to take place in early August, pending final logistical arrangements.
The Syrian president also said Damascus is actively working toward a security agreement with Israel with support from several countries, while emphasizing that any future arrangement would not require Syria to relinquish its claim to the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Türkiye, on the other hand, is a major supporter of post-Assad Syria and views the YPG as a threat to its own national security.
Ankara has hinted that it may resort to a military option in Syria as it did in the past to thwart the YPG’s ambitions, but repeatedly called for dialogue to resolve the dispute between the YPG and Damascus.
Türkiye’s main opposition-run Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) came under renewed criticism Tuesday after officials from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) said a dive in the Golden Horn revealed severe pollution, accusing the city administration of failing to preserve one of Istanbul’s most iconic waterways.
The event, organized by the AK Party’s Istanbul Environment and Urban Policies Directorate to mark World Nature Conservation Day, aimed to highlight pollution in the historic estuary.
Zakire Nurdoğan Yüzbaşıoğlu, AK Party’s Istanbul deputy provincial chair and head of its environment and urban policies unit, said visibility underwater was limited to about 30 centimeters, making it difficult for divers to navigate.
“I couldn’t even see the other divers,” Yüzbaşıoğlu remarked. “We encountered thick layers of mud on the seabed and had to hold hands for safety. The sludge was extremely dense and dark. It is impossible for marine life to survive under these conditions.”
She underlined that the Golden Horn requires another comprehensive dredging and environmental rehabilitation program to restore its ecosystem, urging authorities to increase water circulation in the inlet and remove accumulated sediment.
Recalling restoration projects carried out during President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s tenure as Istanbul mayor in the 1990s, she noted the Golden Horn had once regained a cleaner environment but claimed unpleasant odors had returned, particularly during humid and rainy weather.
Moreover, AK Party Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality council member Özlem Erol also criticized Republican People’s Party (CHP)’s municipal cleaning operations during the event. She said several boats operated by ISTAÇ, the municipality’s waste management company, approached the diving area but did not conduct cleanup work.
Erol alleged the boats remained near the group without carrying out cleaning activities and said the municipality should maintain regular environmental operations in the Golden Horn.
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