Politics
Türkiye ready for guarantor role after Gaza cease-fire: FM Fidan
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan signaled that Türkiye may take up the mantle of de facto guarantor in another dispute, just like it did for Turkish Cypriots, as a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas continues despite reported Israeli attacks on Sunday.
Fidan told broadcaster Ulke TV that they are prepared to assume the role if the two-state solution is implemented in Palestine.
He said Türkiye has so far acted as a mediator in efforts to bring the Gaza war to an end, promoting peace through its close ties and longstanding support for Palestinian causes.
“If an agreement acceptable to the Palestinians is reached, we are ready to do our part,” Fidan said.
He said expecting “full trust” in Israel is unrealistic, emphasizing instead the importance of international pressure to ensure accountability.
Fidan said an “early task force” has been formed to address operational issues during the cease-fire process in Gaza, including problems related to the exchange of hostages and bodies.
He added that the group’s work aims to maintain communication and coordination on the ground.
The Turkish foreign minister said discussions are continuing on three institutional mechanisms outlined in U.S. President Donald Trump’s cease-fire plan for Gaza: A task force, a peace council and a stabilization force. However, their mandates and composition are not yet finalized.
Fidan stressed that Türkiye’s defense and intelligence coordination demonstrates its willingness to accept greater responsibility if peace is achieved.
“If a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders is implemented, and Palestinians gain a sovereign and equal state, we are ready to act as a guarantor,” Fidan said. “This is a major commitment, one not every state can undertake.”
A summit was held last Monday in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, where U.S. President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi hosted more than 20 world leaders, including President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, to sign a document formalizing the Gaza cease-fire.
Erdoğan, Trump, el-Sissi and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani formally signed the agreement supporting the truce and a lasting peace in Gaza.
Fidan described the agreement reached at the Sharm el-Sheikh peace summit as a “historic signature,” because it marked a turning point for the Gaza Strip and the broader Middle East.
“It was a historic signature. It was extremely important for Gaza, for the region, and for the reassertion of our president’s global leadership,” he said.
Fidan warned that the collapse of the cease-fire would not lead to a conventional war but to “a renewed genocide.”
“The breakdown of the cease-fire means that Israel is using its overwhelming superiority in weapons to kill defenseless Palestinians. It’s not war that will begin, but genocide that will begin again,” he said, stressing that Israel’s military operations no longer resemble conventional warfare.
“This is not a traditional conflict where both sides fight on equal footing. What continues in Gaza is systematic extermination,” added Fidan.
He emphasized that the absence of a lasting political settlement would only postpone future violence. “If there is no permanent two-state solution, we may stop this war now, but another one will erupt in a few years. As long as occupation and oppression persist, resistance will continue,” he said.
Fidan underlined that Türkiye’s strategic goals are to end the mass killings in Gaza, as well as alleviatıng the suffering of over 2 million civilians and preventıng a second large-scale displacement of Palestinians.
“Everything has not ended, it has just begun,” he said. “Our priority is to stop the ongoing genocide, to ensure the Palestinian people are not uprooted again and to bring immediate relief to Gaza’s civilians.”
He said the cease-fire must pave the way for continued humanitarian aid and the transfer of administrative responsibility in Gaza to the Palestinian Authority. “Our next target is ensuring that this agreement results in uninterrupted aid, Palestinian governance in Gaza and concrete steps toward a two-state solution,” he noted.
The foreign minister said the actual number of Palestinians killed in Gaza may be significantly higher than reported.
“I truly believe the number exceeds 70,000. Given the nature of destruction, precise data is hard to obtain, but from how this war has unfolded, I know many massacres and executions have occurred beyond the view of cameras,” he said.
Fidan added that the humanitarian catastrophe has deeply shaken the global conscience and eroded moral credibility in Western capitals.
“Those who once claimed moral superiority are now turning a blind eye to barbarity. In the 1940s, they were on the wrong side of history and in 2025, they are again,” he said.
Fidan said Türkiye is prepared to play a leading role in Gaza’s reconstruction once stability is ensured.
“After the Feb. 6, 2023, earthquake, the world saw the professionalism of our rapid rebuilding. There is no reason the same cannot be done in Gaza,” he said, emphasizing that the process will require coordinated international funding.
He said Türkiye is ready to mobilize its companies, institutions and financial mechanisms for reconstruction efforts, but stressed that “a lasting cease-fire” is essential.
Fidan also said Israel must be held accountable for damages, adding that “compensation must be on the agenda as a matter of justice.”
Israel’s illusion
According to Fidan, the longstanding “illusion” created by Israel about its conduct has now been exposed. He said the Gaza war has revealed the deep contradictions in Western policy and morality.
“Humanity’s conscience cannot bear this. The illusion Israel has built over the years has been shattered. Stopping the genocide will only be possible once this illusion fully disappears,” he said.
Fidan noted that Türkiye has pursued an active and moral diplomacy from the beginning of the war, seeking to unify Muslim-majority nations through coordinated action.
He said the meeting between President Erdoğan, seven Muslim leaders and U.S. President Donald Trump in New York accelerated the diplomatic process, shifting Washington’s position from “unconditional support for Israel to an emerging mediating role.”
Greece’s problem
The minister also commented on relations with Greece, which are still affected by the hostile stance of Athens despite the recent rapprochement.
“No political legitimacy in Greece is strong enough to resolve its problems with Türkiye,” Fidan said.
He urged dialogue and restraint in relations while criticizing Athens’ recurring use of anti-Türkiye rhetoric for domestic politics.
Fidan said Greek politics have long relied on portraying Türkiye as an adversary to manage internal crises.
“Greek politics feed on anti-Türkiye narratives. Whenever there is a corruption scandal or domestic unrest, they bring up Türkiye. This has to stop,” he said on a television program.
“I want to remind our Greek neighbors: Turks and Greeks are ancient peoples of this region. We must find a way out of this deadlock together. The future is waiting for us,” he said. “If you continue producing a language of threats, Türkiye can respond tenfold. There is no need for this. Let’s not base politics on hostility.”
Fidan said the Turkish government never builds its domestic policy on “anti-Greek positions” and urged Athens to show the same maturity. “When you come with the language of peace, Türkiye responds with peace. But if another tone is used, we have the capacity to answer accordingly. Still, we never start such rhetoric. Our first language is peace,” he said.
On the European Union’s security policies, Fidan criticized Greece’s attempt to exclude Türkiye from the SAFE (Security Action Framework for Europe) mechanism, describing it as an example of how “certain EU members hijack Europe’s security system.”
“These countries are not acting for Europe’s security,” he said, noting that Greece had left NATO’s military structure in 1974 and rejoined in 1980, with Türkiye’s consent. “Ankara could have objected, but chose not to. We expect the same level of maturity from Greece today,” he said.
Fidan confirmed that he will attend the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg, where a meeting with Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis is planned. “Our Greek counterparts are not fully comfortable with this situation, but dialogue is the only way forward,” he said.
The foreign minister warned against the Greek Cypriot administration’s growing defense cooperation with Israel, saying it carries “the risk of provoking instability” in the Eastern Mediterranean. “We have seen Cyprus serve as a logistical base during the Gaza war. Now, they are trying to repair their image by organizing humanitarian aid flights. We hope this effort serves as atonement,” he said.
Fidan underlined that Türkiye’s first preference is a peaceful resolution of disputes.
“Let’s not waste more time. An enduring peace between Türkiye and Greece in the Aegean is possible; let’s make it possible. In the Mediterranean, it is possible; let’s make it possible. And on Cyprus, peaceful coexistence between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots as equal partners is possible; let’s make it possible,” he said.
Israeli expansionism
Fidan also warned against “the biggest current risk in the region that is Israeli expansionism through Syria,” adding that Ankara continues consultations with the U.S. and other partners to prevent further destabilization.
He underlined that Türkiye maintains structured communication channels with Damascus to manage political, security and humanitarian files.
“We are carrying out the Syria issue in a very systematic and institutional manner,” he said.
“There is a high-level strategic board chaired by Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz and a technical coordination committee led by Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yılmaz. All detailed issues, from refugees to trade and energy, are handled within this framework.”
Fidan said the unification of the armed groups under one military structure in Syria was progressing, calling it “a major transition” that was “largely achieved.” He added that the March priority under the March 10 understanding is the withdrawal of the U.S.-backed YPG, the Syrian wing of the PKK terrorist group, from Arab-majority areas. “Everyone expects this to happen soon. Otherwise, serious clashes could occur,” he said.
The Syrian presidency announced an agreement on March 10 to integrate the YPG into state institutions, stressing the country’s territorial integrity and rejecting any separatist designs. The group, however, has violated the agreement more than once.
He warned that the YPG’s “occupation-minded and colonial attitude” must end, stressing that such approaches obstruct the normalization process.
Fidan noted that recent incidents in Latakia and Sweida had temporarily disrupted state-building and institutional capacity efforts.
Fighting erupted in the Latakia and Sweida provinces in the summer, drawing regional attention to renewed tensions within Syria.
“Crisis areas must be managed well, and significant progress has been made,” he said. “However, the main danger lies in Israel’s policy of creating security through others’ weakness – a risky and unsustainable strategy. Syria should threaten no one, but no one should threaten Syria either.”
Fidan described the Syrian issue as “a first-degree national security matter” for Türkiye. “Everything that happens there affects our territorial integrity and citizens’ safety. Our position reflects that reality,” he said.
He said Türkiye remains in close contact with Washington and the Trump administration is “bringing back its comprehensive approach to Syria.”
“We see that the Trump administration is applying its own full-scale approach again, as in other regions. Our constructive stance in this process is crucial,” he said.
Fidan noted that U.S. envoy Tom Barrack now plays an expanded role, including engagement on Syria and Lebanon. He confirmed diplomatic coordination and said a trilateral meeting with the U.S., Türkiye and Syria is being planned.
On refugee returns, Fidan said nearly 500,000 Syrians have returned from Türkiye through various routes. “Returns are continuing as stability improves. For the economy to function, for institutions to operate, this returning population is essential,” he said.
Fidan reiterated that YPG-linked structures still pose a threat to Türkiye. “For us, this is a national security issue. The YPG has yet to make any declaration or take any step showing it no longer threatens Türkiye,” he said.
He added that Türkiye’s policy is based on equality and justice for all Syrians, regardless of identity. “We defend the rights of every community, Kurd, Arab, Turk, Sunni, Shiite, Christian, Yazidi, but we cannot tolerate any organization whose existence is built on harming Türkiye,” he said.
Damaged vessels from the Global Sumud Flotilla are being repaired in Türkiye’s Antalya after an Israeli attack in international waters, with volunteers working to prepare the ships for another voyage toward Gaza.
Some of the vessels were left with damaged engines, broken masts and torn sails after the attack. They were later brought to Antalya, where local and international volunteers are carrying out repairs at a shipyard.
Two vessels have already been repaired and sent to Italy as part of preparations for another Gaza-bound mission, said Sümeyra Akdeniz Ordu, a board member of the Global Sumud Flotilla.
“We are trying to recover the ships drifting at sea one by one. We are carrying out a rescue mission,” Ordu told Anadolu Agency (AA). “We are repairing these ships so they can sail to Gaza again.”
Fourteen flotilla vessels are currently in Antalya, Ordu said, adding that volunteers from different countries were helping coordinate and repair the ships.
She said each vessel had a special significance for the activists and that they were treating the ships “like their own children” as they worked to restore them.
The damage was extensive, Ordu said, describing broken masts, damaged engines and cut hoses. She also said the sails had been torn with knives.
“The mast was broken, surface cleaner and coffee had been poured into the engines, and the hoses on each ship had been cut one by one,” she said. “They caused this damage by ramming them with larger ships.”
The repairs have been difficult because of the extent of the damage, but volunteers have continued working, Ordu said.
Türkiye has provided a safe port for the repair effort, she added.
Ordu said the activists remained determined to continue their efforts despite the damage to the vessels.
“If the enemy does not give up, we cannot give up,” she said. “We are trying to be a voice here for our Palestinian friends.”
She said the damage to the vessels showed what she described as the violence and hostility directed at the flotilla.
“We, too, insist on continuing every form of resistance,” Ordu said.
Türkiye condemned a drone attack on a power distribution station in the Saudi city of Medina that supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque, reiterating its support for Saudi Arabia amid renewed regional tensions.
Ömer Çelik, spokesperson for Türkiye’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), condemned the attack on Friday, saying targeting infrastructure serving the Prophet’s Mosque was unacceptable.
“Attacks targeting our sacred values are illegitimate acts directed against all Muslims,” Çelik said in a social media post, adding that Türkiye strongly supported Saudi Arabia’s security and stability.
The targeted facility supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque, Islam’s second-holiest site. The attack put one transformer out of service but did not affect the electricity network.
Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry also strongly condemned the attack, saying strikes targeting civilian infrastructure and threatening Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and security should “cease immediately and unconditionally.”
The ministry reiterated Türkiye’s support for Saudi Arabia and called on parties to avoid steps that could further escalate tensions in the region.
“We reaffirm our strong support for Saudi Arabia and emphasize the need to avoid any steps that would further escalate tensions in the region,” the statement said.
Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran on Friday separately condemned the strike and said Türkiye would continue to stand by Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi-led coalition said an investigation and examination of drone wreckage indicated Houthi involvement in the Sept. 29 attack.
Coalition spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki Al Maliki said the targeted facility supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque, one of Islam’s holiest sites.
Saudi Arabia said two weeks ago it had intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered restricted airspace over the Muslim holy city. The coalition described that incident as the second Houthi attempt to target Mecca since 2017.
Earlier on Thursday, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and several Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, also condemned the attack on Medina.
The OIC described the targeting of vital infrastructure and facilities as “a dangerous escalation and a blatant violation of the sanctity of holy sites,” as well as international and humanitarian laws and norms.
Bashiqa-Zilkan, a key Turkish base in Iraq, will soon be handed over to Iraqi authorities while Turkish troops are expected to withdraw from the country. The development, which comes amid the withdrawal of U.S. forces from the country, which remained there as part of an anti-Daesh coalition, signals the start of a new era for Iraq and Türkiye. The Ministry of National Defense said in a statement on Thursday that the handover of the base did not mean an end to cooperation with Iraq and, on the contrary, Türkiye would continue supporting Iraq’s security and stability.
Türkiye and Iraq agreed earlier this month to deepen security cooperation, restore full Iraqi state authority in Sinjar and begin the gradual handover of the Bashiqa-Zilkan military base to Baghdad under an agreed timetable.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi announced the steps in a joint statement following talks in New York on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly.
The ministry said Türkiye welcomed steps to ensure state authority in Sinjar. The base was set up in 2015 to help Iraq fight against Daesh and later maintained its presence when the terrorist group PKK sought to replace Daesh following the liberation of Sinjar.
“These steps will contribute to normalization of the region, establishing an environment of security and stability and a terror-free region,” the ministry said, using an expression referring to Ankara’s “terror-free Türkiye” initiative, which aims to disarm the PKK.
The statement also said it was decided to gradually hand over the compound to the central government in Baghdad, “based on improvement of security in Sinjar.”
“Our country, as it did in the past, stands with our neighbor Iraq in terms of maintaining an environment of security and stability. Throughout future contacts, we are planning to take steps that will further advance military and security cooperation. We will continue supporting Iraq’s armed forces in increasing military capacity, sharing know-how in counterterrorism and in the fields of military training and defense industry cooperation, based on bilateral agreements,” the ministry stated.
Ayhan Sarı, an assistant professor at the Turkish-German University and a security and foreign policy expert at the Turkish Research Foundation (TAV), noted that Türkiye’s withdrawal was linked to ending the PKK’s presence in Sinjar and the re-establishment of Baghdad’s authority there.
Sarı told Daily Sabah that Türkiye has been in Iraq as an exercise of its right to self-defense under international law, particularly Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, which recognizes the right to individual and collective self-defense against armed attacks. “Türkiye’s presence in Iraq has been due to the PKK threat in the north. (The dissolution) of the PKK will remove the need to remain in Iraq,” Sarı said.
He noted that the PKK and other terrorist groups had, for years, filled the power vacuum that emerged in Iraq’s northern region following the beginning of the Iraq War.
“Iraq’s central government claims it can find a solution to this vacuum through recent steps and establish full authority within its borders after the U.S. withdrawal,” Sarı said.
A U.S.-led coalition deployed in Iraq more than a decade ago against Daesh formally concluded its mission on Wednesday. Daesh was largely expelled from Iraq and Syria, also thanks to Türkiye’s cross-border operations in Assad-era Syria, but U.S. forces remained. Washington and Baghdad reached an agreement two years ago to wind down the mission.
Sarı said it was only natural that Türkiye was supportive of Iraq’s steps to ensure security on its own, since Ankara was committed to developing good relations with its neighbors and centered its foreign policy on peace and stability.
“As it did in Syria, Türkiye sides with central authority, stability and security in Iraq. Türkiye will support this move and will do whatever it can to ensure that this mission succeeds in maintaining stability and security, based on its neighborly relations,” he said.
Sarı added that Iraq’s efforts were compatible with Türkiye’s foreign policy and plans. “Iraq’s success will also mean the complete expulsion of the PKK from that country. This expulsion, removal of this malignant tumor between Türkiye and Iraq, will certainly add momentum to Turkish-Iraqi relations,” he also stated.
Speaking at the inauguration of the new legislative year at the Turkish Parliament on Thursday, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hailed a law passed by Parliament on terror-free Türkiye, which involves the disarmament of the terrorist group PKK.
“Consensus on a terror-free Türkiye has upset the country’s foes. (Terror-free Türkiye) is already having a deterrent effect on Türkiye’s foes and is empowering the country,” Erdoğan said.
The president also urged other political parties to strengthen the “home front” amid regional tensions and reach a “grand Türkiye consensus.”
The Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Integration was approved by Parliament in August following months of political consultations over the government’s terror-free Türkiye initiative. The 12-article legislation received broad parliamentary backing, with 468 lawmakers voting in favor, 88 against and six abstaining. It mainly involves deferral of sentences and prosecution, as part of the initiative that paved the way for the dissolution of the PKK.
For decades, the PKK remained the main security threat for Türkiye, and its violent campaign is blamed for the deaths of thousands of people and immense economic losses, especially in southeastern Türkiye. Apart from small nationalist parties, almost all political parties openly supported the initiative, something rare in polarized Turkish politics.
“The era of opposition solely based on opposing what the government did is over. It is a grave mistake to reduce politics to antagonizing the rivals, to a war of attrition, instead of making it a race in offering the best public services. Regional and global developments require us to pursue a new style of politics,” Erdoğan told Parliament amid constant applause from lawmakers from his Justice and Development Party (AK Party). The main opposition New Party (YP) left Parliament’s general assembly hall as Erdoğan took the floor.
“We have two options now: We will either continue with the old way of politics focusing on polarization, or we will build new politics based on finding common ground, finding consensus amid competition,” he said.
“If we are meant to make Türkiye great and strong again, if we are meant to utilize historic opportunities, we have to adapt to this paradigm shift altogether and without losing more time,” he said.
The president said they did not expect all political parties to fully align or have the same opinion.
“Different views are certainly the wealth of Türkiye, Turkish democracy. But all political parties should prioritize Türkiye. Every party should draw power from its own dynamics, its grassroots, to carry out ‘Türkiye-oriented politics,'” Erdoğan said.
“Reconciliation and tolerance should replace conflict and polarization. We have to find common ground on matters essential for every member of our nation. This is what we call the ‘grand Türkiye consensus,'” Erdoğan added.
New constitution
The president also focused on drafting a new constitution. “The goal of a new and civilian constitution is a struggle for Turkish democracy to prove its maturity. Our esteemed Parliament is competent and authorized to draft a constitution under all circumstances and in every period. A new constitution that will broaden Türkiye’s horizons will be the product not of a politics of polarization, but of a new politics based on competition within consensus. Our nation’s longing for a new constitution must not be held hostage by manufactured fears. Our position regarding the first four articles of the Constitution currently in force is clear. Rolling up our sleeves for a new and civilian constitution worthy of the ‘Century of Türkiye’ is a genuine test of sincerity for everyone. I hope the current legislative year will be a year of constitutional reform that expands Türkiye’s opportunities and potential,” he said.
Since the founding of the Republic of Türkiye, constitutional design has served as the backbone of the country’s legal system. The current Constitution, adopted in 1982, has been repeatedly amended over the decades, most notably in 2017, when a national referendum paved the way for the country’s transition from a parliamentary model to an executive presidential system.
Despite numerous amendments over the decades, replacing the 1982 Constitution with a new, civilian-drafted charter remains a prominent issue in Türkiye’s political debate.
Erdoğan and Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş have repeatedly advocated for a new civilian constitution, arguing that the existing charter retains the legacy of military rule under which it was drafted despite extensive subsequent amendments.
Türkiye condemned Thursday a drone attack by Houthis on a power station in the Muslim holy city of Medina, reaffirming its support for Saudi Arabia.
The targeted facility supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque, Islam’s second-holiest site. The attack put one transformer out of service but did not affect the electricity network.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said on Thursday that an investigation and examination of drone wreckage confirmed Houthi involvement in planning and carrying out Tuesday’s attack.
“We strongly condemn the Houthis’ attack on civilian infrastructure serving the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“These provocative attacks, which threaten Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and security and target the sacred values of the Islamic world, must cease immediately and unconditionally,” it said.
Saudi Arabia said two weeks ago it had intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered restricted airspace over the Muslim holy city. The coalition described that incident as the second Houthi attempt to target Mecca since 2017.
The Foreign Ministry emphasized the need to avoid any steps that would further escalate tensions.
“We reaffirm our strong support for Saudi Arabia and emphasize the need to avoid any steps that would further escalate tensions in the region,” the statement said.
Earlier Thursday, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and several Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, also condemned the attack on Medina.
The OIC described the targeting of vital infrastructure and facilities as “a dangerous escalation and a blatant violation of the sanctity of holy sites,” as well as international and humanitarian laws and norms.
The organization affirmed its full solidarity with Saudi Arabia in measures taken to protect its territory, security and stability, defend Islamic holy sites and safeguard citizens and residents.
The UAE Foreign Ministry said the drone attack constituted “a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of Saudi Arabia and a threat to its security and stability.”
The Saudi-led coalition said the Medina attack was part of what it described as repeated Houthi attempts to target the Two Holy Mosques and “provoke” Muslims worldwide. It said it would continue taking measures to protect the holy sites and pilgrims.
Houthis denied the accusation.
The latest escalation is the most serious fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-aligned Houthis since a U.N.-brokered truce largely halted cross-border attacks in 2022. Hostilities resumed this year after the Houthis declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia in July and began attacking Saudi territory and shipping, while Houthi forces also made major territorial gains along Yemen’s Red Sea coast.
Saudi Arabia has responded with airstrikes in Yemen and backed government forces fighting to push back the Houthis.
Turkish authorities detained Eyüpsultan Mayor Mithat Bülent Özmen and 27 other suspects earlier Friday as part of a corruption investigation involving the Istanbul district municipality, prosecutors said.
The Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said detention orders were issued for 28 suspects over allegations including membership in a criminal organization, receiving and giving bribes and bid rigging.
All 28 suspects were detained in simultaneous operations carried out by financial crimes police, according to the prosecutor’s office. Authorities also conducted searches and seizures at addresses linked to the suspects and searched the Republican People’s Party (CHP)-run Eyüpsultan Municipality building.
Prosecutors said the investigation was being conducted in coordination with the Ankara Police Department’s Financial Crimes Investigation Branch.
“The investigation continues in a comprehensive and meticulous manner,” the prosecutor’s office said.
Özmen, who serves as mayor of Istanbul’s Eyüpsultan district, was among those taken into custody.
The detentions are part of an ongoing investigation, and no court has ruled on the allegations against the suspects.
-
Politics2 days agoTurkish defense chief attends major joint military drills in Azerbaijan
-
Sports3 days agoTürkiye aim to stop rot against Belgium in Nations League
-
Politics3 days agoTürkiye urges end to US-Israel-Iran war, return to talks
-
Economy2 days agoEurozone, Asian factories show resilience despite energy challenges
-
Politics3 days agoDefendant reveals corruption scheme in Imamoğlu’s Istanbul municipality
-
Lifestyle3 days ago190-year-old Greek church set to join Cappadocia tourism route
-
Sports3 days agoRonaldo walks away as Jesus rules out start against Denmark
-
Politics2 days agoYemen seeks deeper cooperation with Türkiye on state rebuilding