Politics
People’s Alliance focuses on terror-free Türkiye with new meetings
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and its partner in the People’s Alliance, the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), have turned the spotlight to the terror-free Türkiye initiative amid heightened tensions in the region.
The MHP, whose leader Devlet Bahçeli first proposed the initiative last year, will organize nationwide meetings to discuss the progress in the plan, while the AK Party is scheduled to hold a meeting of its central executive committee to debate the initiative on Tuesday.
The MHP will hold meetings in 81 provinces under the title of “National Unity and Solidarity for Terror-Free Türkiye” in a bid to rally the nation to support the initiative. The party officials said in a statement on Saturday that they sought national agreement and unity for permanent peace and prosperity in the country. A statement by party’s directorate of media, communications and digital platforms said the terror-free Türkiye goal can be achieved if all members of society support it and through the unity of the nation and state.
The terror-free Türkiye initiative was first hinted at by officials, including Bahçeli himself and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, months before the initiative took its present form. Erdoğan and Bahçeli had repeatedly highlighted ensuring Türkiye’s unity and establishment of “a home front” as they cited that Israel sought to expand its conflict with Palestinians to the wider region and eventually to Türkiye.
As part of the initiative, the PKK terrorist group ended decades of violence as it announced its dissolution in May following a congress held by the group upon a call by its jailed ringleader Abdullah Öcalan in February.
Bahçeli, a fervent nationalist known for his opposition to the PKK and its affiliates, made an unprecedented call for Öcalan to urge the group to lay down arms and dissolve last year. What followed was visits by Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) lawmakers to Öcalan in the island prison where he is held in the Marmara Sea. After a series of visits by the party linked to the PKK, Öcalan consented to make the call, which was released on Feb. 27.
After decades of military operations to eradicate the group, Türkiye initiated a “reconciliation process” 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 terror attacks after a brief lull. The new initiative is expected to move forward this summer, with the PKK handing over arms to authorities in Syria and Iraq in a process that will be overseen by Turkish intelligence. After the handover, PKK members not involved in terrorism will be accepted into Türkiye to serve their sentences, according to the media outlets, while the group’s ringleaders holed up in Iraq will likely leave for third countries, the unconfirmed reports say.
The initiative is supported by the opposition parties although some parties partly oppose it. The MHP’s statement on Saturday said the party had a national responsibility and pursued constructive politics. “We are aiming to inform the public correctly, respond to online disinformation about the initiative, reach out to wider society, hear the expectations of the citizens and build bridges of confidence through nationwide meetings,” the party said, highlighting a stronger consensus was needed for achieving the goals of the initiative. The MHP often highlights unity between Turkish and Kurdish community in the country as a way to achieve the initiative. The PKK exploited underprivileged Kurds for decades to justify its attacks targeting everyone, from police and military officers to civilians, including Kurds in the southeast. The MHP’s nationwide meetings will bring together politicians with representatives of provincial chambers, labor unions, nongovernmental organizations, associations set up for veterans of counterterrorism fight and families of people killed by the PKK.
On Tuesday, President Erdoğan will chair his party’s central decision-making and administrative committee for first meeting in weeks, both to discuss terror-free Türkiye and a new, civilian constitution for Türkiye. The party officials will discuss the latest developments regarding the initiative.
A Greek Cypriot attempt to violate Türkiye’s continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean with a Gibraltar-flagged vessel has been thwarted, the Turkish Foreign Ministry sources said Thursday.
Greek Cypriot administration issued an illegal NAVTEX alert on Aug. 5, designating a zone within Türkiye’s declared maritime boundaries for marine research by the Gibraltar-flagged vessel Fugro Gauss as part of the “EMC” underwater fiber optic cable project. Ankara called the move yet another effort by the Greek Cypriot side to impose a fait accompli in contested waters.
In response, Türkiye swiftly deployed naval units and a maritime patrol aircraft to the area, sources said. The Fugro Gauss was warned that it could not conduct scientific activities on the Turkish continental shelf without Ankara’s prior consent. The Greek Cypriot administration’s NAVTEX was also declared null and void by Turkish authorities.
“Such unauthorized actions are in violation of international law and will not be tolerated,” a Defense Ministry official separately said, emphasizing that the Turkish continental shelf, as registered with the United Nations on March 18, 2020, remains under complete protection.
This is not the first time Ankara has intercepted an illegal attempt in the region. A similar Greek effort to assert maritime claims off Karpathos was thwarted by the Turkish Navy in July 2024.
Ministry sources noted that while the EMC project is distinct from the Great Sea Interconnector Project between Greece and Greek Cyprus, both are subject to the same legal requirements. Any cable-laying or research operations crossing Türkiye’s continental shelf must obtain permission from Ankara.
The Turkish side welcomed the cooperation of the German project owner and the United Kingdom, the flag state of the Fugro Gauss, in respecting Türkiye’s sovereign rights.
“Our commitment to our maritime rights remains steadfast, both at the negotiating table and in the field,” the Defense Ministry sources said.
Sources also warned that the Greek Cypriot administration’s repeated attempts to bypass Türkiye’s maritime jurisdiction would lead to further regional instability.
“No unilateral move that disregards the rights of coastal states can succeed. Türkiye will continue to defend its legitimate interests under international maritime law,” they added.
Relations between Türkiye, Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration have long been fraught with maritime and territorial disputes in the Eastern Mediterranean, driven by conflicting interpretations of continental shelf and exclusive economic zone (EEZ) rights.
Türkiye has consistently rejected what it views as Greece’s and the Greek Cypriot administration’s “excessive claims” to maritime zones, asserting such claims ignore the rights of both Türkiye and the Turkish Cypriots. The tensions are also rooted in the division between Turkish and Greek Cypriots.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan paid a previously unannounced working visit to Syria on Thursday, where he would be received by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa. This is the third visit of Fidan to the neighboring country since the fall of the Assad regime and comes at a time of rapidly evolving relations.
Ankara suspended ties with its southern neighbor as it lapsed into a civil war in 2011 and sided with the opposition to oust Bashar Assad’s regime. After forces led by al-Sharaa toppled the Baathists, Türkiye was quick to reestablish ties.
Foreign Ministry sources said the meeting would focus on reviewing the progress achieved in bilateral relations over the past eight months, as well as on further reinforcing cooperation across various fields. Efforts for Syria’s reconstruction and recovery will also be discussed. One day before Fidan’s visit, a five-company consortium that includes three Turkish firms signed a $5 billion deal with the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority to develop and expand Damascus International Airport. The deal marks one of the largest infrastructure projects in Syria in years, despite the country’s prolonged instability following more than a decade of civil war and the wider impacts of the second year of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza and regional conflicts. Also last Saturday, Türkiye began supplying natural gas from Azerbaijan to Syria, via a pipeline that runs through the southern Turkish border province of Kilis, helping meet the war-scarred country’s energy needs.
Fidan’s talks will also include an assessment of counterterrorism, according to sources, particularly against the terrorist groups Daesh and the PKK/YPG, as well as Türkiye’s national security concerns stemming from northeastern Syria. Parts of northeastern Syria are controlled by the U.S.-backed PKK/YPG, which advocated a “decentralized administration” for itself, to the chagrin of Damascus.
Ankara has pledged to continue supporting Syria’s political unity and territorial integrity, providing training and technical support upon request from Damascus to strengthen its fight against terrorist groups.
Türkiye is closely monitoring the integration of the PKK’s Syrian wing, YPG, into the Syrian army, a process expected to conclude by the end of the year. Turkish officials have said this development will be decisive for Syria’s long-term security architecture. The new Syrian government, established after the ouster of former regime leader Bashar Assad on Dec. 8, 2024, has been working to restore order nationwide. Ankara, which has developed cordial ties with the new leadership, has repeatedly offered operational and military assistance to Damascus to combat Daesh and other terrorist threats.
Earlier this week, YPG leader Ferhat Abdi Şahin renewed his calls for a decentralized Syria and the removal of “Arab” from the country’s official name. In an interview with the Istanbul-based Yeni Yaşam newspaper, Şahin argued that the “Syrian Arab Republic” title, in use since 1961, “does not reflect the reality” of the multiethnic nation and should have the word “Arab” removed. Just last week, Şahin told local media the YPG “defends the slogan ‘one army, one government, one state,’” echoing Damascus’ calls for full national unity. The shift in tone comes as the group continues to negotiate with Syria’s interim government over the implementation of a March 10 agreement recognizing Damascus’ sovereignty.
With U.S. support under the pretext of fighting Daesh, the YPG seized large swaths of northern and eastern Syria during the civil war. Turkish cross-border operations have since reduced its territorial grip, but it still holds key oil, water and agricultural resources in the northeast.
The YPG’s push for decentralization and symbolic changes, such as altering the country’s name, is widely seen by Türkiye as part of a broader effort to entrench separatist control in Syria’s north.
Ankara has long opposed the YPG’s presence along its border, warning it will “intervene” if the group does not comply with the March 10 deal and disarm as the PKK did.
As part of the landmark terror-free Türkiye initiative, the PKK announced in May it would disband and renounce armed conflict, ending four decades of violence. It began laying down arms last month.
The meeting is also expected to address Israel’s actions and rhetoric, which pose a threat to the stability and security of both Syria and the broader region.
According to the sources, the current period presents opportunities for cooperation across various fields between Türkiye and Syria.
Türkiye’s priority is to seize these opportunities in line with the shared interests of both countries and in a way that supports Syria’s stability and security. In this context, mutual high-level visits between Türkiye and Syria continue without losing momentum. Fidan visited Syria on Dec. 22, 2024, his first visit after the new administration took charge, and then on March 13.
Al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani have also visited Türkiye on various occasions since the ouster of Assad.
These visits focused on the security situation in Syria, steps needed to achieve lasting stability in the country, and political, economic and humanitarian issues. Discussions also explored ways to institutionalize bilateral cooperation, while Ankara reiterated its readiness to provide support to Damascus in all areas.
The spokesman of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) issued a strong warning over efforts to integrate the PKK-linked Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into official Syrian state structures, calling the moves a direct threat to Syria’s territorial integrity and a potential sabotage of ongoing disarmament efforts in the region.
In a news conference on Wednesday, Ömer Çelik said that proposals to fold the SDF into Syria’s army, under a U.S.-backed transition plan, are unacceptable and violate the principles of national unity and sovereignty.
“These so-called local governance models being floated are merely a cover for imperialist and Zionist agendas,” Çelik said. “We will not allow any effort that delays or derails the path toward a Terror-Free Türkiye and a terror-free region.”
He noted that Türkiye is closely monitoring developments along its southern border, including recent movements between the Suwayda region and SDF-held areas, which he described as “provocative and opportunistic.” He reiterated that all branches and affiliates of the PKK must disarm and disband for any peace model to be legitimate.
PKK disarmament and ‘Terror-Free Türkiye’
Çelik emphasized that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has made it clear that the country’s priority is to see the PKK terrorist group and all its offshoots fully disarmed, in line with the work of a newly established parliamentary commission.
“Our aim is clear: the dissolution of the PKK and its surrender of arms,” he said, warning against political actors attempting to redefine or dilute the mission of the commission. “The process is not a negotiation — it is a national objective.”
He added that Türkiye’s vision of a terror-free state would also serve as a model for surrounding countries battling similar threats.
‘Türkiye Century’ campaign launched
The comments came as the AK Party unveiled a new nationwide initiative titled “Türkiye Yüzyılı Buluşmaları” (Century of Türkiye Meetings), set to run from Aug. 8 to Sept. 15. The campaign will involve outreach across the country by Cabinet ministers, lawmakers, and party leaders to engage directly with citizens and families of fallen soldiers.
Çelik said the campaign, coordinated by Deputy Chair Ahmet Büyükgümüş, will combine political dialogue and personal interaction to deepen public engagement during the summer months.
Civilian constitution main goal
Çelik also reiterated the party’s long-standing push for a civilian constitution to replace the current military-era charter, calling it essential for Türkiye’s democratic future.
“This is not just a political goal — it’s a societal necessity,” he said, adding that the AK Party will continue working with all segments of society during the upcoming meetings to build consensus on the issue.
Fake diploma probe: ‘We will go to the end’
Commenting on the ongoing fake diploma scandal, Çelik said state institutions had detected the issue over a year ago and have been investigating under the coordination of the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. He emphasized that all involved would be held accountable.
“The state was ahead of this. Deliberate misinformation is being spread — such as false claims of 400 academic appointments. None of it is true,” he said. “This network of forgers will be rooted out completely. The judiciary, Interior Ministry, YÖK, and all relevant bodies are acting in full coordination.”
Gaza and global accountability
On foreign policy, Çelik condemned Israel’s continued attacks on Gaza and accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of leading a “massacre network” that should be prosecuted for genocide.
“This is no longer just a humanitarian issue — it is a global justice issue,” he said. “Netanyahu’s government must face international courts just as the Nazis did. Those who support or excuse this will face historical reckoning.”
Çelik welcomed the growing international momentum toward recognizing the State of Palestine, praising countries expected to take formal steps in September. “This sends a clear message that the Zionist network’s ambitions will not succeed,” he said.
Recently surfaced documents have revealed a curious connection between the chairperson of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), Özgür Özel, and Aziz İhsan Aktaş, a controversial figure under investigation for alleged involvement in organized crime and corruption within Istanbul municipalities run by the CHP.
According to documents released by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, Aktaş is reported to have allocated a luxury armored vehicle for Özel’s use during a 1.5-year period. The vehicle, specially equipped with bomb-resistant features and bearing the license plate 34 AKT 500, was reportedly used by the CHP leader during his trip to southeastern Diyarbakır province.
The revelations, also brought to light by former Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) MP Arzu Erdem and veteran journalist Nuray Başaran during a live television broadcast, have raised eyebrows over the nature of the relationship between Özel and Aktaş, particularly as investigations deepen into irregularities at the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and several district offices, all under the CHP’s control.
“The documentation is explicit. The license plate, route details and usage timeline all match. This is not a coincidence. The public deserves clarity,” Başaran said.
Erdem echoed the sentiment, urging transparency: “Silence is no longer an option. The CHP chair must come forward and explain his association with Aziz Ihsan Aktaş. This goes beyond protocol; it’s a question of political ethics.”
In response, CHP spokesperson Deniz Yücel flatly denied the allegations, stating that Özel’s official vehicles are registered with the party headquarters and are issued plates by the police department. “Our chair does not use any vehicle outside of the official fleet,” he said, calling the claims “baseless slander.”
Still, the timing of the documents’ release, coinciding with Özel’s recent public comments targeting judiciary figures, has led some to question whether the vehicle arrangement is part of a deeper, undisclosed political entanglement.
Aziz Ihsan Aktaş, identified by the Istanbul prosecutors as a purported leader of a criminal organization, is accused of orchestrating lucrative public contracts in exchange for bribes. His cooperation with prosecutors, through multiple confessions, has triggered investigations that led to the arrest of several CHP-affiliated municipal figures, including mayors and party insiders.
Since the new round of Palestine-Israel conflict began in October 2023, Türkiye has delivered more than 101,000 tons of humanitarian aid to the Palestinian enclave of Gaza.
Among it is more than 25,000 tons of food aid, 3,171 tons of drinking water and 25,180 tents.
Türkiye also hosted 430 patients evacuated from Gaza as health care facilities in the enclave are heavily damaged in Israel’s reckless attacks. In addition, in cooperation with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the country delivered more than 65,000 tons of flour to Palestinians. The Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) leads the humanitarian efforts for Gaza.
Anadolu Agency (AA) reported that Türkiye has sent 14 planes and 16 vessels loaded with aid to Gaza so far and has also sourced aid materials from the Palestinian territories to be delivered to the enclave.
A total of 25,729 tons of food, 3,171 tons of drinking water, 351 containers turned into temporary shelters, 113,608 blankets, 25,180 tents, 19,798 sleeping bags and 151,445 pieces of shelter material, along with three mobile kitchens, have been delivered to Gaza. Additionally, 469,486 pieces of clothing and 1,083 toy sets for children were sent.
The total amount of humanitarian aid materials, sent via ship voyages, an air bridge, local procurement and in cooperation with UNRWA, has reached 101,271 tons.
Within the scope of medical aid, eight field hospitals, 53 ambulances and 247.5 tons of medical supplies have been sent to Gaza.
To improve hygiene conditions in the region, 281,238 hygiene kits and 550 tons of hygiene materials have been distributed. Aid supplies also included one forklift and 1,451 generators for energy needs.
Under the coordination of the Ministry of Health, 430 patients and 450 caregivers were transported to Türkiye via nine flights.
Of the 1,369 individuals brought to Türkiye from Gaza through an evacuation operation carried out by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1,229 were provided with accommodation and food services in Istanbul.
Currently, a total of 1,834 people from 613 families have been provided with housing in Ankara, Istanbul, Konya and various other provinces. Cash support was also provided by the Ministry of Family and Social Services and the AFAD through Esenkart cards.
A total of $7.5 million was donated to the Egyptian Red Crescent, with $7 million from the AFAD and $500,000 from the Turkish Red Crescent.
Furthermore, $3 million in financial support was provided for the sea logistics of 30,000 tons of flour, which is being delivered in cooperation with the AFAD and UNRWA.
In the coming period, approximately 250 tons of fuel are planned to be sent to Gaza as fuel support, procured locally.
At least 61,258 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since October 2023, including 197 who have died from hunger, Gaza’s Health Ministry said on Thursday.
A ministry statement said 100 bodies were brought to hospitals in the last 24 hours, while 603 people were injured, taking the number of injuries to 152,045 in the Israeli onslaught since October 2023.
The ministry also said that four more people died from starvation and malnutrition over the past day, pushing the death toll since October 2023 to 197, including 96 children.
A medical source told AA that 16-month-old Mohammed Zakaria Asfour lost his life at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis as a result of starvation-related complications amid a severe shortage of food and medicine due to the Israeli siege.
Activists shared videos on social media showing Mohammed’s extremely frail body and protruding bones.
The ministry also said that 51 Palestinians were killed and 230 injured while trying to get humanitarian aid in the past day, bringing the total number of people killed while seeking aid to 1,706, with over 12,030 others wounded since May 27, when the controversial Gaza Humanitarian Foundation began operations.
Israel has imposed a blockade on Gaza for 18 years and, since March 2, has shut down all crossings, blocking the entry of humanitarian aid and worsening conditions for the territory’s 2.4 million population.
According to Gaza’s government media office, Israel allowed just 92 aid trucks on Wednesday, far short of the 600 trucks needed daily to meet the needs of the residents.
The Israeli army resumed its attacks on the Gaza Strip on March 18, breaking a cease-fire and prisoner exchange agreement that took hold in January. Efforts for another truce, led by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar, have so far not yielded any results.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday received Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko at the Presidential Complex in Ankara.
Sonko was personally invited to Türkiye by Erdoğan as the two countries seek ways to improve ties. Sonko and Erdoğan were scheduled to sign several cooperation agreements after discussing relations, regional and global issues, the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications said earlier.
Developing relations and cooperation with African countries is one of the cornerstones of Ankara’s multidimensional foreign policy.
Türkiye’s engagement with the African continent has been gaining pace over the years. Since assuming office nearly two decades ago, first serving as prime minister, Erdoğan has been fostering ties with Africa, presenting Türkiye as a fairer player than the continent’s former colonial powers.
Ankara has emphasized its desire to advance relations with the continent based on a win-win relationship and equal partnership while maintaining mutual respect. Both sides have been vowing to tap into their greater potential for further expanding and deepening relations.
The Turkish Embassy in Dakar, which was established in 1962, is one of the first Turkish diplomatic missions on the African continent.
Senegal, which gained independence from France in 1960, stands out in West Africa owing to its stability and institutionalized democracy.
In 2018, Erdoğan paid an official visit to Senegal, accompanied by several Cabinet ministers, and Senegal’s then-President Macky Sall visited Istanbul for the opening of the Çamlıca Mosque in 2019.
Erdoğan paid another official visit to Senegal in 2020, which included a business forum. Private sector representatives annually hold business forums in Senegal.
Economic cooperation with Türkiye is key for indebted Senegal, which unveiled an economic recovery plan on Aug. 1. The West African country faces a deteriorating economy, marked by a 14% budget deficit and outstanding public debt that represents 119% of GDP, said Senegal Economy Minister Abdourahmane Sarr at the ceremony to unveil the plan. At the same event, Sonko declared that under the new economic plan, “90% of resources are expected to come from the mobilization of internal resources and without external debt”.
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Sonko claim to have inherited a heavy burden from their predecessor, President Macky Sall.
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