Istanbul police captured three fugitive members of the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), including one who had been on the run for a decade, authorities announced Sunday.

Police identified the suspects as Mehmet Yılmaz, Abdullah Ilık and Serdar Uluocak. Yılmaz was wanted for membership in a terrorist group and was a user of ByLock, an encrypted messaging app developed and exclusively used by FETÖ members. He worked as an editor, reporter and editor-in-chief at publications controlled by FETÖ, including the now-defunct newspaper Zaman. Yılmaz was captured in a “gaybubet evi” (house of absence), a term used for safe houses operated by FETÖ.

Ilık was a high-level member of FETÖ and was in charge of secret prep schools operated by the group. He had been on the run for the past three years after a court sentenced him to more than six years in prison. Uluocak was a police officer linked to FETÖ.

FETÖ has faced increased scrutiny following the coup attempt that killed 251 people and injured nearly 2,200 others. Tens of thousands of people were detained, arrested or dismissed from public sector jobs following the attempt under a state of emergency.

The terrorist group faces operations almost daily as investigators continue to unravel its extensive network of infiltrators. However, an unknown number of FETÖ members, mostly high-ranking figures, fled Türkiye when the coup attempt was thwarted.

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In addition to Iraq’s Turkmen community, Mohammed Samaan Agha’s appointment as a state minister in Iraq was also welcomed in Türkiye.

The minister, who also happens to be the leader of the Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITC) and serves as governor of Kirkuk, promised to work “for the benefit of Iraq and Türkiye” in remarks to Turkish journalists on Sunday in Baghdad.

He met Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Saturday as the latter was in Baghdad to attend a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).

Fidan congratulated him on his appointment as minister and told journalists that Türkiye had long monitored the challenges facing Iraq’s Turkmen community. He said addressing those challenges required progress on Iraq’s broader political and social problems.

”They are loyal citizens of Iraq. They are also highly conscious of preserving their own identity, which is precisely what we want,” Fidan said.

He stressed that the Turkmen community had consistently played a constructive role in Iraqi society and politics. “Türkiye and Iraq are brotherly countries, extensions of one another geographically, culturally and historically,” Fidan said. He called for a more institutionalized framework for bilateral cooperation that would serve both countries’ interests.

Agha was elected governor of Iraq’s Kirkuk province in April by the Kirkuk Provincial Council, becoming the first governor of Turkmen origin in more than a century. Turkmens are a Turkic-speaking minority whose total population is estimated at around 3 million. Agha visited Türkiye on an official trip following his election.

The new minister told reporters that, as a minister of Turkmen origin, he would work on issues in the interests of the people of both countries.

Commenting on his meeting with Fidan, Agha highlighted the historical, geographical, religious and cultural ties between the two countries.

Noting that Türkiye and Iraq shared many common issues, Saman Agha said: “We discussed all issues of mutual concern to the two countries, particularly security, trade, oil exports, energy, water and the fight against terrorism. In the coming period, as a Turkmen minister, we will do our best to carry out work in these areas that will benefit both countries and their peoples. We have initiated this process. God willing, we will make very good progress.”

Stating that regional tensions were negatively affecting the Iraqi economy, he said developments around the Strait of Hormuz and tensions between Iran, Israel and the United States had seriously harmed Iraq’s oil exports.

Emphasizing that Türkiye was an important neighbor and economic partner for Iraq, Agha said the Development Road Project should be accelerated.

“The faster the Development Road Project is carried out and implemented, the more beneficial it will be for Iraq. Türkiye will also benefit from it, but Iraq’s gains will be greater because this project will connect the East with the Western world,” he said.

Unveiled in May 2023, the Development Road Project is a $20 billion regional infrastructure initiative designed to facilitate the transport of goods from the Gulf to Europe via the Grand Faw Port in Basra, southern Iraq. The port would be linked to Türkiye and subsequently to Europe through an extensive network of railways and highways.

In April 2024, Türkiye, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on joint cooperation on the project.

Noting that the issue of water was becoming increasingly important as winter approached, Agha said water and security had also been discussed during talks between Türkiye and Iraq.

Recalling that Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi had also recently raised security concerns, the minister stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation between the two countries in these areas.

“I believe that relations between Iraq and Türkiye will become much stronger in the coming period,” he said.

Commenting on the Iraqi Turkmen Front’s political goals and the representation of Turkmens in the new government, Agha said they attached importance to maintaining good relations with the country’s different social groups.

“First and foremost, we trust in God. Then, we trust in the votes of our people and the support they have given us and the Iraqi Turkmen Front. At a very critical and difficult time for Iraq, we have established very good relations with our Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish brothers. We maintain sound and sincere relations with everyone,” the Turkmen minister said.

Recalling the agreement on rotating the governorship of Kirkuk among Turkmens, Kurds and Arabs, Agha said it was also significant that Turkmens had subsequently secured representation at the ministerial level in the government.

Emphasizing that all social groups in Iraq should be represented in the country’s administration, he said: “I think everyone in Iraq has now come to the conclusion that, alongside Shiites, Kurds and Sunnis, Turkmens and Christians must also be represented. This would allow all segments of Iraqi society to feel that they are represented in the government Cabinet.”

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Türkiye and Cambodia signed a military framework agreement Friday aimed at strengthening defense cooperation, as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described the Southeast Asian nation as an increasingly important partner during talks with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet in Istanbul.

The agreement was signed during a ceremony preceding a joint news conference by Erdoğan and Manet at the Presidential Dolmabahçe Office, following bilateral and delegation-level talks earlier in the day.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan signed the agreement on behalf of Türkiye, while Cambodian Deputy Defense Minister Prak Sovanna represented Cambodia.

The deal seeks to deepen military and defense cooperation between the two countries amid efforts to expand bilateral relations.

Speaking at the joint news conference, Erdoğan highlighted the growing momentum in relations with Cambodia and Ankara’s commitment to strengthening its engagement with Southeast Asia.

“I consider Cambodia, with which our relations have developed rapidly in recent years, an important partner in Southeast Asia,” Erdoğan said.

The president also welcomed Cambodia’s participation as a founding member of the Gaza Board of Peace, describing the move as highly encouraging.

Erdoğan further highlighted humanitarian cooperation between the two countries, saying Turkish assistance had reached more than 3,000 people through coordination with Cambodian authorities.

“We have delivered assistance to more than 3,000 people in cooperation with Cambodian authorities. We will continue our humanitarian aid efforts,” he said.

Earlier Friday, Erdoğan welcomed Manet, who arrived in Türkiye at the president’s invitation, with an official ceremony at the Presidential Dolmabahçe Office.

The two leaders introduced their respective delegations before holding a one-on-one meeting, followed by talks between their delegations.

Foreign Minister Fidan, Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran and Presidential Chief Adviser on Foreign Policy and Security Akif Çağatay Kılıç also attended the discussions.

The visit reflects efforts by Ankara and Phnom Penh to broaden their partnership, with military cooperation emerging as a key area of engagement alongside diplomatic and humanitarian ties.

Türkiye is expected to expand cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in trade, economic relations, the defense industry and energy after recently becoming a “dialogue partner” of the regional bloc.

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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan highlighted Türkiye’s centuries-old medical tradition and the importance of institutional continuity as he inaugurated new hospital facilities and launched construction projects at Istanbul University’s Çapa and Esenyurt campuses.

Speaking Saturday at a groundbreaking and opening ceremony at Istanbul University’s Çapa Faculty of Medicine campus, Erdoğan said the country’s healthcare institutions had played a significant role in preserving national identity, supporting independence and serving the public across generations.

“Our state tradition is founded on continuity,” Erdoğan said. “Our ancestors, who said, ‘Keep people alive so the state may live,’ reflected their understanding of the state’s eternal existence in our institutions as well.”

He added that these institutions belonged not only to the state but also to the nation, helping shape Türkiye’s struggle for independence and its future.

The ceremony marked the opening of the Internal Medicine Hospital at the Çapa campus and the Esenyurt Hospital, while construction began on the Orthopedics and Traumatology Hospital, the second surgical hospital and Deniz Abdal Mosque.

Erdoğan wished the new facilities success, saying they would benefit Istanbul, Türkiye and its people. He also thanked the Health Ministry, Istanbul University, the construction company and the workers, engineers, civil servants and other personnel involved in the projects.

He extended his appreciation to healthcare professionals across the country, praising doctors, surgeons, nurses, caregivers and administrative staff for their dedication to providing quality medical services. He also wished patients who would receive treatment at the new facilities a healthy and fulfilling life.

Erdoğan said Türkiye had a substantial legacy in both medical practice and scientific education, arguing that medicine had historically been regarded as more than an ordinary profession.

“Being a physician has never been considered an ordinary profession among us,” he said, describing doctors as individuals who pursued wisdom as well as medical knowledge.

He pointed to the hospitals and medical institutions established across Anatolia from the 13th century onward, saying they demonstrated the region’s longstanding contribution to healthcare while parts of Europe experienced some of their darkest periods during the Middle Ages.

The president also traced the history of Istanbul Faculty of Medicine to institutions established during the Ottoman Empire, describing the faculty as an inheritance passed down through generations.

He cited the Fatih Darüşşifası, established on the orders of Sultan Mehmed II, also known as Mehmed the Conqueror, as an early foundation for medical education. The institution later developed through successive stages, including the establishment of Tıphane-i Amire by Sultan Mahmud II on March 14, 1827, which Erdoğan described as the country’s first modern medical school.

With the addition of Cerrahhane-i Amire, the institution took the names Mekteb-i Tıbbiye-i Şahane and Darülfünun Faculty of Medicine in 1839 before eventually becoming Istanbul Faculty of Medicine.

Erdoğan said this history illustrated how Türkiye’s institutions had maintained their identity and purpose through political and social changes.

He highlighted March 14, 1919, when Hikmet Bey and his colleagues raised the Turkish flag at the Imperial School of Medicine during the Allied occupation of Istanbul, describing the act as a declaration that the nation would not submit to foreign domination.

He also pointed to the role of humanitarian and civil society organizations, including the Turkish Red Crescent and the Green Crescent, during Türkiye’s War of Independence.

According to Erdoğan, the same spirit of solidarity and national determination resurfaced during the 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation, the July 15, 2016, coup attempt, the COVID-19 pandemic and the devastating earthquakes of Feb. 6, 2023.

The president congratulated Istanbul Faculty of Medicine as it prepares to mark its 200th anniversary next year, expressing confidence that the institution would continue to provide healthcare services and contribute to medical research for generations to come.

He said the faculty had produced internationally recognized figures throughout its two-century history and would continue making important contributions to medical literature while serving the nation.

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Türkiye’s Embassy in Baku on Saturday dismissed reports alleging that Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a secret meeting during his recent trip to Azerbaijan, rejecting claims circulated by several Azerbaijani media outlets.

In a statement, the embassy said a report titled “Behind the Scenes of Hakan Fidan’s Meeting at GYF,” published by several media outlets, particularly Qafqazinfo, was based on baseless allegations.

The statement said the publication was part of disinformation efforts by circles seeking to damage relations between Türkiye and Azerbaijan.

It noted that Fidan had posed for courtesy photographs with numerous people during his visit to Baku, including members of an organization with legal status in Azerbaijan.

“The allegations that our minister held a secret meeting and issued various instructions are categorically untrue,” the statement said.

The embassy said claims had been made based on an alleged letter addressed to the Turkish parliament, containing accusations with no connection to reality. It underlined that the purported letter did not exist.

Fidan visited Baku on Oct. 15 to represent President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the seventh summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA). During the visit, he met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, discussing bilateral relations and regional developments.

The statement stressed that references in the report to “plans to interfere in internal affairs,” “intelligence operations,” “coup and chaos plots,” and “recruiting agents of influence” were deliberate falsehoods intended to turn the Azerbaijani public against Türkiye.

The embassy called on the public of both Azerbaijan and Türkiye not to give credence to these allegations or manipulative claims that have no basis in fact.

The Qafqazinfo news website had reported that Fidan visited a foundation established by Turkish philanthropists in Baku, where he allegedly held a secret meeting and issued various instructions.

The report was later removed from the website.

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Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş will hold talks this week with political parties in a new drive to advance the terror-free Türkiye initiative, which aims for the dissolution of the terrorist group PKK, which has killed tens of thousands of people across the country since the 1980s.

The talks will precede the establishment of a monitoring committee in Parliament to observe the process, which has been underway since last year.

Before the summer recess, Parliament approved a framework law that provided a legal basis for the initiative, which had been largely informal so far. The law stipulated the establishment of a monitoring committee. Authorities have previously said that, unlike other stages of the initiative, which require verification of full disarmament, the committee would not be bound by confirmation of the process.

Starting this week, Kurtulmuş is expected to hold talks with leaders of parties eligible to form parliamentary groups, including the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), the main opposition New Party (YP), government ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), the PKK-linked Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the New Path coalition of smaller opposition parties. He will also hold talks later with leaders or representatives of opposition parties that have a small number of seats in Parliament. Separately, he will visit Müsavat Dervişoğlu, whose Good Party (IP) refused to join parliamentary work to advance the initiative.

Kurtulmuş had previously stated that the monitoring committee would be established swiftly. During his meetings with political party leaders, he will ask them to nominate members to the committee. The talks will address the committee’s size, how it will operate and what actions it will take on various issues.

In similar processes around the world, particularly in Ireland and Colombia, the United Nations, foreign governments or international civil society organizations have generally been involved in monitoring disarmament steps. This was referred to as a “third eye” (“arbiter”). Türkiye, which developed its own model, did not seek a third-party observer to monitor the process. Kurtulmuş stated that, unlike international examples, Parliament itself would oversee the process as the “third eye,” rather than relying on external actors.

The committee was tasked with monitoring and reporting on activities carried out under the process, making recommendations to relevant institutions and preparing legislative proposals when necessary.

The initiative unofficially began in 2024 following a call by veteran politician Devlet Bahçeli, leader of the MHP. Bahçeli suggested that the PKK’s jailed ringleader, Abdullah Öcalan, order the group to lay down its arms “at Parliament.” Öcalan consented, though he remained in jail, and within months, following a historic call by Öcalan, the PKK agreed to disarm. In return, the Turkish Parliament passed a law in August providing for the deferral of sentencing and prosecution for members of the terrorist group who were not involved in acts of violence. Through the security forces and the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), Türkiye currently monitors the disarmament process, which began symbolically last year when several PKK members burned their weapons at a ceremony in northern Iraq, where the PKK’s senior cadres are based.

The PKK has left four camps in Metina, northern Iraq, Turkish security sources announced last Monday.

This is among the few solid indicators of progress in the initiative and a significant gain in the secretive and highly sensitive process, although the PKK touted it as a bargain with Türkiye. The government rejects any deal in what it portrays as a unilateral initiative. Turkish sources confirmed the veracity of the PKK’s “withdrawal,” but experts argue that it is still the beginning of the end.

Turkish security sources also said last Monday that they expected PKK members to return from abroad to benefit from the law passed by Parliament. Sources said several programs covering education, economic support and other areas would be rolled out to reintegrate PKK members into society, though details remain unclear about what these programs would entail and how receptive the Turkish public would be to former members of the group. Although the reintegration system and deferrals of sentencing and prosecution would cover members not involved in acts of violence, it remains to be seen how PKK members would adapt to a new life after spending years in hiding in the mountains.

Bahçeli recently suggested that Öcalan serve as “a coordinator” in the process and that Türkiye establish a coordination office on Imralı Island, where Öcalan is imprisoned. Authorities have not openly responded to Bahçeli’s call, but media reports suggest that Öcalan would be given greater access to the outside world, though still within the confines of the prison, allowing him to relay his messages to the terrorist group and the wider public more easily.

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