Politics
Türkiye denies mass troop deployment to Somalia
The Ministry of National Defense denied claims that Türkiye would deploy 15,000 soldiers to Somalia while affirming cooperation with the African country. Some Turkish and Somali media outlets have claimed that Mogadishu sought assistance from other countries, including Türkiye, to improve security and even included armed groups from Syria who helped oust the Baathist regime.
Brig. Adm. Zeki Aktürk, the ministry’s spokesperson, told a news briefing on Thursday that Türkiye already had a Somalia-Türkiye Task Force and an air force unit stationed in the Horn of Africa country and was helping Somalia to enhance its counterterrorism capacity through military assistance, training and consultancy services. Aktürk rejected the claims of dispatching 15,000 troops to the country.
Türkiye’s military training mission in Somalia, known as TURKSOM, has been a crucial element in the country’s counterterrorism operations, providing extensive military training and logistical support to Somali security forces in their fight against terrorist groups such as al-Shabab and Daesh.
Earlier this week, Türkiye and Somalia discussed current military and security developments in Somalia as troop-contributing countries to the African Union (AU) peacekeeping mission begin withdrawing their forces from the country. Both sides also discussed counterterrorism efforts and security cooperation between Türkiye and Somalia. The discussions came after Turkish Ambassador to Somalia Ferhat Alkan met Somalia’s National Security Adviser Awes Hagi Yusuf Ahmed in the capital, Mogadishu.
“Türkiye continues to contribute to the peace, stability and security of Somalia, as it has in the past,” the Turkish Embassy said in a statement following the meeting on Tuesday.
According to the Office of the National Security Adviser, both sides also focused on political issues, the fight against al-Shabab and bilateral cooperation. “The NSA expressed Somalia’s appreciation for Türkiye’s longstanding friendship & support, and reaffirmed the importance of continued coordination for Somalia’s stability,” it said in a statement.
Israel’s genocidal actions against Palestinians in Gaza made it into President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s speech at the COP31 summit in Türkiye’s Antalya on Wednesday.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry was quick to respond, claiming Erdoğan pushed an anti-Israeli campaign of lies.
In return, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Israel was trying to cover up their violations and evade accountability.
“The Israeli Foreign Ministry’s despicable and outrageous slanders against our president represent yet another example of Israeli officials’ futile efforts to conceal the truth,” the ministry said Wednesday.
Ömer Çelik, deputy chair and spokesperson of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), echoed the statement on Thursday. Çelik said in a social media post that “members of the genocide network” had no right to target President Erdoğan and they would “fail anyway to hide their crimes against humanity.”
He stated that Erdoğan said what should be said again, in the name of humanity’s conscience, justice and laws, against Israel’s oppression. “We will never take a step back from standing with people of Palestine and for truth,” Çelik said.
Burhanettin Duran, head of the Directorate of Communications of the Turkish Presidency, also said in a social media post on Thursday that Israel resorted to insults and propaganda instead of paying the price for genocide and the ecological disaster it inflicted on Gaza and this was “just another display of the political and moral quagmire it is in.”
On Wednesday, Erdoğan slammed Israel, something he frequently does in his speeches at international events, accusing it of “genocide and ecocide.”
“Centuries-old olive trees were destroyed, soil was polluted, water was polluted, cities were turned into giant masses of rubble,” he said in his speech at the leaders’ summit of COP31 as he was speaking about the toll armed conflicts inflicted on both humanity and nature.
Erdoğan has also lamented that Israel has not allowed delivery of prefabricated housing units to Gaza, noting that, “Our Palestinian brothers and sisters in Gaza are condemned to live in tents unfortunately, amid mud everywhere.”
“Aren’t they human beings? Don’t they deserve to have at least a tent? We have been hearing heart-wrenching news from Gaza for the past few days. Heavy rainfall and floods, combined with the lack of infrastructure destroyed (by Israel) in Gaza, left tens of thousands of tents and shelters inundated. Hundreds of thousands of Gazan brothers and sisters with no roof above them, especially innocent children trembling with cold, most of them without parents, fight for their lives with water everywhere and in wintry conditions,” Erdoğan stated. Erdoğan added that no one can escape from taking responsibility in the face of such a shame for humanity.
The president said Israel sought “a show of force” over the drama the Gazan children faced and called for immediate admission of humanitarian aid.
In recent days, heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding destroyed many of the tents and makeshift shelters that Palestinian residents now live in. At least four people were killed earlier this week when a sand embankment collapsed on their shelter. The rain also left many displaced people without food, drinking water or a dry place to sleep.
Humanitarian aid enters the territory, but imports remain far below levels before the start of the new round of conflict in 2023, and many items remain blocked by Israel.
A 2025 report by the U.N. Environment Programme also outlined the devastating reality of Gaza’s environment since the war began. Remote sensing assessments showed that by May 2025, more than 97% of the tree crops, 82% of annual crops, 95% of shrubland and 89% of grass and fallow land had been damaged, according to the UNEP report.
“As of now, our families only have 3% of cropland to use, and that is assuming it’s distributed across 2 million Palestinians” in the Gaza Strip, said Mohammed Usrof, co-founder and executive director of the Palestinian Institute for Climate Strategy. “Not talking about these losses undermines Palestinians’ food supply, livelihoods and ability to remain on their land,” Usrof said.
The territory’s ability to dispose of garbage, treat sewage and deliver clean water has been virtually decimated by three years of war. This has made grim living conditions worse and raised health risks for hundreds of thousands of people deprived of adequate shelter, food and medicine, aid groups say.
The conflict has “all but eliminated” Gazan fishing livelihoods, the report said, highlighting how marine ecosystems have been contaminated with munitions, sewage and solid waste.
“For people in Gaza, this translates into severely limited access to safe drinking water, greater exposure to waterborne diseases and toxic substances, deepening food insecurity and the loss of livelihoods dependent on agriculture and fishing,” Ghiwa Nakat, executive director at Greenpeace MENA, told The Associated Press.
Nakat also warned that Gaza’s environment could take years to recover.
“The environmental damage will not end when the war ends,” Nakat said. “Contaminated soil and groundwater, destroyed ecosystems and the collapse of essential environmental infrastructure could undermine public health, food security and livelihoods for generations, threatening communities’ resilience and their ability to recover.”
Four soldiers were killed after a Turkish military S-70 helicopter crashed in the eastern province of Malatya on Thursday.
“Four of our fellow soldiers were killed when our S-70 helicopter crashed in Malatya for reasons yet to be determined,” the Defense Ministry said.
The ministry extended condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers and prayed for God’s mercy upon them.
The helicopter went down in the Samanköy neighborhood of Malatya’s Yeşilyurt district, where a fire broke out at the crash site and spread to a nearby house, according to initial reports.
Emergency crews were dispatched to the area and extinguished the flames.
The Defense Ministry confirmed the crash in a statement, saying the cause remained unknown and search-and-rescue efforts began immediately after teams reached the wreckage.
There was no immediate official information on casualties.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held separate talks with the leaders of Somalia, the Republic of Congo, Iraq and Tanzania on the sidelines of the COP31 climate summit in Antalya on Thursday, seeking to deepen cooperation in defense, energy, trade and regional security while advancing Türkiye’s climate diplomacy.
During his meeting with Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Erdoğan reaffirmed Ankara’s commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation, particularly in defense and energy, according to a statement from the presidential Communications Directorate.
Erdoğan said Türkiye would continue taking steps to strengthen its partnership with Somalia, emphasizing that the country’s peace and stability remained a priority for Ankara.
He also expressed hope for the success of Somalia’s national dialogue process, the consolidation of national unity and the establishment of lasting social peace.
In talks with Republic of Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso, Erdoğan highlighted progress in bilateral trade and investment, saying both countries were working to unlock further economic potential.
He also underscored the importance of protecting biodiversity, particularly in the Congo Basin, one of the world’s most significant tropical rainforest ecosystems.
Erdoğan expressed confidence that Türkiye’s “Climate Implementation Bridge” initiative, developed under its COP31 presidency, would contribute to addressing environmental challenges and strengthening international climate cooperation.
Separately, Erdoğan met Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments.
He welcomed growing trade between the two countries and pledged to pursue further cooperation across multiple sectors based on mutual benefit.
Erdoğan also emphasized that Türkiye aimed to implement climate initiatives addressing Africa’s priorities during its COP31 presidency.
During his meeting with Iraqi President Nizar Amedi, Erdoğan praised the momentum in high-level diplomatic exchanges, saying they had brought renewed dynamism to relations between Ankara and Baghdad.
He highlighted progress on the Development Road Project, a major transportation and trade corridor designed to strengthen Iraq’s connections with international markets and establish a new route for East-West commerce.
Erdoğan said Türkiye would continue expanding cooperation with Iraq across several sectors, particularly energy.
On regional security, he urged Baghdad to maintain and strengthen its support for Ankara’s goal of establishing a “terror-free region,” stressing that achieving this objective would benefit both countries.
The meetings came as Türkiye hosted world leaders in Antalya for COP31, providing Ankara with an opportunity to strengthen diplomatic and economic partnerships alongside discussions on global climate action.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had a busy schedule on Thursday in the southern city of Antalya, where he attended the COP31 summit. After wrapping up the first day of the event on Wednesday with an address to leaders, he embarked on one-on-one talks with the summit’s guests. In the morning, he held talks with Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian and later met leaders from Sudan, Libya, Georgia and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, Communications Directorate Chair Burhanettin Duran, Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Deputy Chair Ömer Çelik, intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalın and Erdoğan’s advisers accompanied the president at most meetings.
Sudan’s Sovereignty Council Chair Abdel Fattah al-Burhan was among Erdoğan’s guests on Thursday. The Directorate of Communications said al-Burhan and Erdoğan discussed bilateral ties and future moves for more cooperation in many fields, from the defense industry to investments and agriculture. Erdoğan reaffirmed Türkiye’s support for Sudan’s unity, territorial integrity and independence, as well as the Sudan peace initiative. Ankara has repeatedly called for a peaceful and lasting resolution to the conflict that erupted in Sudan on April 15, 2023, warning that continued instability poses risks to regional and global security. Türkiye has also continued its diplomatic efforts and humanitarian assistance aimed at alleviating the suffering of the Sudanese people and supporting long-term stability in the country.
Erdoğan also held talks with Libya’s Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah, expressing commitment to further steps to boost cooperation between Türkiye and Libya. The Turkish president underlined support for Libya’s stability and “opposition to any initiative not backed by Libyans themselves and those against the interests of Libya.” Libya has recently approved a maritime jurisdiction deal with Türkiye on the Mediterranean, years after it was signed, to the chagrin of Türkiye’s opponents in the Mediterranean. The approval, which followed Türkiye’s expanding outreach to rival sides in the North African country, builds upon Ankara’s efforts for Libya’s stability, seeking consensus between the eastern and western factions.
On Erdoğan’s meeting with Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi, the Directorate of Communications said the two leaders discussed bilateral ties and regional issues. Erdoğan told the Congolese leader that they would take steps to enhance cooperation on commerce, transportation and the defense industry, among other areas, and expressed Türkiye’s support for the Democratic Republic of Congo’s territorial integrity and lasting stability.
Erdoğan also held talks with Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili and Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will host Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Friday in Istanbul as the two leaders are scheduled to co-chair the Türkiye-Qatar High Strategic Committee meeting. The countries are expected to sign a string of important agreements and memoranda of understanding during the meeting.
Faisal bin Abdullah Al Hanzab, Qatar’s ambassador in Ankara, says the meeting will boost cooperation between the countries on the economy, defense industry, artificial intelligence and technology.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA) on Wednesday, the ambassador said relations, based on deep-rooted historic bonds of brotherhood, further developed through mutual trust and joint political will and were now beyond conventional political coordination and expanded to many fields from economy to defense and technology.
Türkiye and Qatar established a strategic partnership in 2014, and their High Strategic Committee has met annually since 2015. The two countries have signed 115 agreements through 11 committee meetings.
Bilateral trade reached $1.15 billion in 2025, with both countries aiming to raise the volume to $5 billion. To that end, a trade and economic partnership agreement entered into force on Aug. 1, 2025.
The ambassador said that Friday’s meeting presented great opportunities. “This meeting reflects the determination of the two countries to further advance their strategic partnership and create new opportunities for cooperation in institutional, economic, defense and technology fields. We aim to turn our shared understandings into concrete steps and projects,” he said.
He noted that, amid the prevailing uncertainties in the current international environment, coordination between Qatar and Türkiye serves as an important pillar in reducing tensions, resolving disputes through peaceful means and supporting diplomatic efforts to strengthen regional and international security and stability.
He stated that Qatar has numerous investments in Türkiye. “These investments reflect our strong confidence in Türkiye’s economy and financial system. My visits to different Turkish cities and meetings with officials have allowed me to closely observe the country’s economic diversity and extensive investment opportunities. Türkiye’s potential often goes far beyond what indicators and figures reveal.”
Noting that significant opportunities exist to increase trade volume between the two countries and expand mutual investments, the ambassador said industry, infrastructure, construction, technology and financial services were among the priority areas for cooperation. He added that artificial intelligence, digital transformation, advanced technology and industrial innovation also offered opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation.
He emphasized that the “Badr Memorandum of Understanding,” signed by Türkiye, Qatar, Pakistan and Indonesia, offers significant opportunities for joint production, technical knowledge sharing and technology development in the defense industry.
Stating that the memorandum establishes a framework for cooperation in the defense industry, joint production, the sharing of technical expertise and research and development, Al Hanzab said, “This memorandum could enable each country to benefit from the industrial, engineering and technological advantages and expertise of the others. It could also help share research and development costs, increase knowledge transfer and expand access to new markets.”
The quadrilateral defense cooperation agreement was signed in Doha last month and is aimed at boosting defense cooperation and strengthening the four countries’ defensive capabilities. It will also support military exercises and training and cooperation on research and development (R&D) and contribute to joint efforts to improve their defense industries, Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defense said last month. Türkiye, which has NATO’s second-largest army and a robust defense industry, has been helping Gulf nations, including Qatar, where it has a military base, bolster their defenses amid the Iran war. In August, it signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement with nuclear-armed Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, under which an attack on one party constitutes an attack on all. Ankara also has close ties with Indonesia, notably in the defense industry. Türkiye says that the Mecca partnership is meant to strengthen collective deterrence, enhance joint capabilities in the defense sector and safeguard security and stability in the region.
The Badr accord will strengthen ties between the countries’ defense industries and bolster collaboration to promote security and achieve shared objectives, the Defense Ministry said.
Noting that Qatar continues its mediation efforts amid tensions between the United States and Iran and developments in Gaza, Al Hanzab stressed that diplomatic coordination with Türkiye is important for regional stability.
“Qatar’s position on this matter is clear and unwavering. Our country has always invested in peace, diplomacy and bringing the positions of the parties closer together. We believe that wars do not provide lasting solutions to disputes and that the expansion of conflicts threatens the security and stability of the region, causing significant harm to its peoples and economies,” he said.
He stated that Türkiye and Qatar’s communication channels with numerous regional and international actors contribute to diplomatic efforts, adding: “The two countries are well-positioned to strengthen coordination on current developments thanks to their extensive regional and international relations, communication channels with different parties and experience in mediation.”
Commenting on developments in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, Al Hanzab said Israel’s violations and failure to fulfill its obligations under the cease-fire agreement were deepening the humanitarian crisis in the region.
Emphasizing that the cease-fire agreement must be fully implemented to ensure lasting stability in Gaza, he said: “Developments in Gaza and the West Bank cannot be considered separately from Israel’s ongoing violations and the occupying forces’ refusal to fulfill their obligations under the cease-fire agreement. This prevents the transition to recovery and reconstruction while prolonging the humanitarian suffering of civilians.”
The ambassador emphasized that Qatar, in coordination with its partners, particularly Türkiye, continues its diplomatic efforts to make the cease-fire permanent, ensure the implementation of all provisions of the agreement, reopen border crossings and facilitate the safe, regular and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid. He said they were also working to establish the necessary conditions for the launch of Gaza’s reconstruction and revive a serious political process that would pave the way for a just and lasting peace.
Highlighting the importance of the partnership between Türkiye and Qatar in this regard, Al Hanzab stressed that the two countries’ political and humanitarian coordination offers significant opportunities to mobilize international support and strengthen cooperation with international organizations.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held talks with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the margins of the COP31 summit, which the latter also attended, along with heads of state and government from across the globe.
In addition to bilateral relations, the talks also focused on the U.S.-Iran war. The Turkish Presidency’s Directorate of Communications said that at Thursday’s meeting in the southern city of Antalya, Erdoğan expressed Türkiye’s desire for an immediate end to the conflict between Iran and the United States and for establishing a lasting peace. He said the ground for consensus should be cemented for the start of a period of stability, and diplomacy should be given a chance.
Erdoğan said it was crucial to set up a negotiation table without wasting more time and underlined that Türkiye would continue supporting peace-oriented efforts in cooperation with other friendly countries in the region.
Pezeshkian said Wednesday that U.S. and Israeli attacks on fuel facilities in Iran released 1.5 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, causing extensive environmental damage.
Pezeshkian said at the COP31 U.N. climate summit in Türkiye that attacks on fuel facilities in Asaluyeh released 500,000 tons of carbon dioxide. In comparison, strikes on fuel storage tanks near Tehran produced another 1 million tons.
Israeli strikes targeted oil storage facilities in Tehran on March 7, while gas processing facilities in Asaluyeh in southern Iran were hit on March 18.
The president accused Washington and Tel Aviv of causing severe environmental destruction during the military offensive, which began on Feb. 28.
He said the attacks highlighted a contradiction between international efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and military operations that destroy infrastructure, trigger widespread fires and release pollutants into the atmosphere.
Pezeshkian also condemned Israel’s military operations in the Gaza Strip, saying the territory was facing a humanitarian and environmental catastrophe due to the destruction of infrastructure, water resources and ecosystems.
He said attacks on Iranian protected areas and environmental ranger stations also damaged natural resources and threatened future generations.
Calling for international accountability, Pezeshkian urged organizations to document environmental damage caused by U.S. and Israeli military operations in Iran and Gaza and establish mechanisms for compensation.
He also highlighted Iran’s renewable energy development, saying the installed capacity increased from 1,250 megawatts to more than 6,150 megawatts during the last two years.
Iran generated more than 4.5 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity in 2026, preventing 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions, according to Pezeshkian.
He stressed that peace and environmental protection were inseparable, saying lasting peace was essential to safeguarding the planet.
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