Politics
Türkiye, Senegal talk defense co-op as Erdoğan hails Africa ties
Türkye and Senegal on Thursday discussed defense and security cooperation, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said, hailing Türkiye’s growing relations with Africa.
“Today we discussed joint steps that we can take in the areas of security, the defense industry and the fight against terrorism,” Erdoğan told a televised press conference with Senegal’s visiting Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko in the capital Ankara.
“We are pleased with the growing interest of our African brothers in Turkish defense products. We look forward to further strengthening our solidarity in this area in the coming period,” he said.
Türkiye has in recent years consolidated its foothold in Africa and boosted economic and defense cooperation, at a time when many countries on the continent are turning away from their former colonial rulers.
Ankara has signed defense agreements with a number of states spanning the breadth of the continent, including Somalia, Libya, Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Ghana.
Those agreements have opened up contracts for Türkiye’s defense manufacturers, notably for its reputedly reliable and inexpensive drones.
On Thursday, Erdoğan hailed Africa as the “star of our century” with its wealth of young workers, dynamism and natural beauty.
“No country with a global vision can ignore the African continent or turn its back on this magnificent geography,” he said.
He said anyone who criticized the Turkish-African partnership was “trying to confine our country to shallow waters.”
“We reject any arrogant, condescending, orientalist approach to the African continent”, he added.
Following one-on-one talks and inter-delegation meetings, Erdoğan and Sonko oversaw the signing of four agreements to enhance cooperation in the fields of defense, media, and education.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday praised Senegal’s firm stance against Israeli oppression in Gaza, describing the West African country’s solidarity with the Palestinian people as a model for the international community.
Speaking during a joint press conference with Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko in Ankara, Erdoğan said he discussed the ongoing Israeli assault with Prime Minister Sonko, reaffirming Türkiye’s admiration for Senegal’s principled position.
“We have always welcomed Senegal’s brave and resolute stance against Israeli oppression. Their unwavering solidarity with the Palestinian people sets an example for many countries,” Erdoğan stated.
He highlighted Senegal’s longstanding support for Palestine in international forums, noting that the country has chaired the U.N. Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People since 1975.
“Senegal has not turned its back on the Palestinian people. They have stood by us in the initiatives we’ve launched at the United Nations. As two Muslim brotherly nations sharing common values, our voice on regional and global platforms is stronger than ever,” Erdoğan said.
The Turkish president concluded with a firm message on Gaza: “Our struggle will continue until the genocide in Gaza ends and those who condemn innocent children to starvation and death are held accountable. The perpetrators will be brought to justice, both before the law and in the eyes of history, for the skeletal bodies of those innocent children.”
Erdoğan expressed satisfaction with the growing interest of African nations in Turkish defense products. “We are pleased with our African brothers’ increasing interest in Türkiye’s defense industry. We hope to further strengthen our cooperation in this field in the upcoming period,” he said.
Thanking Senegalese authorities for their support in Türkiye’s fight against the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), Erdoğan emphasized the deep-rooted ties between Türkiye and the African continent. “Let me underline this clearly: With its young population, dynamism, wealth, and yet-to-be-fully-discovered potential, Africa is the shining star of this century. No country with a global vision can ignore Africa or turn its back on this magnificent continent,” he said.
Erdoğan rejected the notion that Türkiye’s engagement with Africa is recent or opportunistic. “We are not a country that has just discovered the African continent. Our ties with Africa go back to the 10th century. For Türkiye, strengthening relations with its African brothers is both natural and the right policy,” he noted.
Criticizing orientalist attitudes and dismissive rhetoric toward Africa, Erdoğan said, “Anyone who criticizes Türkiye-Africa cooperation is attempting to confine our country to shallow waters. We reject arrogant, condescending, and orientalist approaches toward the African continent. Regardless of what the main opposition says, we will continue strengthening our bonds of friendship and brotherhood with African nations.”
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a phone call with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday.
Fidan and Lavrov discussed the latest developments in the peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, the ministry stated in a press release.
NATO member Türkiye is one of the most active countries working to ensure a permanent cease-fire between Ukraine and Russia. Its delicately balanced act of assuming a role as a mediator by keeping communication channels with both warring sides open provides a glimmer of hope in diplomatic efforts to find a solution and achieve peace in the Ukraine crisis.
While Ankara has opposed international sanctions aimed at isolating Moscow, it has also closed its straits to prevent some Russian vessels from crossing through them.
On July 23, Istanbul hosted the third meeting of the Russian and Ukrainian delegations, who had also met in May and June in the city amid U.S. pressure to agree on a cease-fire to end their three-year conflict. Despite the urging of U.S. President Donald Trump, no major breakthrough was made.
Turkish intelligence units captured a senior member of the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) in a joint operation as he attempted to flee the country through illegal means, security sources said Thursday.
Hakan Kahraman, a high-ranking figure in FETÖ’s so-called “mahrem” (secretive) network, was wanted by Turkish authorities and had a finalized conviction over his role in the terrorist group’s infiltration efforts.
He was detained in the western province of Manisa following coordinated efforts by the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), the Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, and the Manisa Police Department.
MIT’s intelligence work revealed that Kahraman was preparing to escape abroad, prompting immediate action. The terrorist suspect was caught red-handed before he could flee.
Kahraman held a prominent position within FETÖ’s secret structure, which was specifically tasked with infiltrating Türkiye’s strategic institutions, including the military, judiciary, and police force. These operatives operated under strict secrecy, bypassing traditional hierarchies to report directly to the terror group’s leadership.
FETÖ, led by U.S.-based late fugitive Fetullah Gülen, orchestrated the brutal July 15, 2016 coup attempt in Türkiye, which left 252 people martyred and over 2,700 injured. The terrorist group is also accused of decades-long infiltration into the state apparatus through cheating in exams, blackmail, and wiretapping.
Turkish security forces continue their relentless efforts to expose and dismantle the group’s hidden operatives across the country and abroad.
The investigation into Kahraman’s network and connections is ongoing.
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.
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