Politics
Erdoğan touts Osman Gazi as Türkiye aims to double gas flow by 2027
Türkiye’s natural gas production in the Black Sea is expected to double to 20 million cubic meters per day, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Saturday, as the country prepares to deploy its Osman Gazi floating production platform to process gas from the Sakarya field.
In a video message to a ceremony at Filyos Port in the northern province of Zonguldak, Erdoğan said the platform would process gas extracted from wells in the Sakarya Gas Field and transport it to Filyos through subsea pipelines.
He said the increased output would allow one in every three households in Türkiye to use domestically produced natural gas starting in early 2027.
Erdoğan described Osman Gazi as a major step in the country’s energy ambitions and called it the first factory of the “Blue Homeland,” a term Türkiye uses to describe its maritime interests and ambitions.
“Today, we are opening a brand-new page in our energy history,” Erdoğan said. “We are sending Osman Gazi, essentially a floating industrial facility, to its duty station in the Black Sea.”
The president recalled announcing in July 2024 that Türkiye would acquire its first floating production platform. In May 2025, the vessel, named Osman Gazi, was sent from Istanbul’s Dolmabahçe Palace to Filyos.
Measuring 298.5 meters long, 56 meters wide and 29.5 meters deep, the platform is designed to operate as a floating natural gas processing facility, with a crew of 140 people. Its 21 separate units will process gas extracted from the Sakarya field before it is transferred to shore through underwater pipelines.
The planned increase to 20 million cubic meters per day would double Türkiye’s Black Sea gas production, according to Erdoğan. The government expects the additional output to expand the share of households supplied with domestically produced gas from early 2027.
Türkiye welcomed the appointment of Iraq’s new Cabinet following a parliamentary confidence vote Thursday, expressing hope that the new government would accelerate bilateral cooperation in energy, infrastructure and security while strengthening political stability and the representation of the country’s Turkmen community.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry congratulated the Iraqi government led by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi after the Council of Representatives approved new Cabinet appointments in an Oct. 15 vote.
The ministry said the development could provide fresh momentum for cooperation in several strategic areas, particularly the Development Road Project, a major regional transport and infrastructure initiative.
Ankara also identified energy, water management, infrastructure and security as key areas where it expects bilateral cooperation to advance under the new administration.
The statement particularly welcomed the appointment of Kirkuk Governor and Iraqi Turkmen Front Chairman Mohammed Samaan Agha as minister of state.
Türkiye described the appointment as a positive step toward promoting political stability, social cohesion and fair representation for Iraq’s Turkmen population.
Ankara reaffirmed its commitment to further deepening cooperation with Baghdad across all sectors, emphasizing its determination to strengthen bilateral relations under the new government.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held meetings with his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty, Iran’s top diplomat Abbas Araghchi, and Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein in Baghdad, the Foreign Ministry said Saturday.
According to diplomatic sources, Fidan also met with Iraqi President Nizar Amidi on the sidelines of the 52nd session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Fidan also met with Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council President Faiq Zaidan, the sources said.
Later in the day, Fidan held separate meetings with Iraqi Parliament Speaker Heibet Halbusi, Popular Mobilization Forces Commission Chairman Falih Fayyad, and Iraqi State Minister and Iraqi Turkmen Front Chairman Mohammed Saman Agha, according to diplomatic sources.
The ministry did not provide further details about the meetings.
Fidan attended the meeting and handed over the chairmanship of the Council of Foreign Ministers to Iraq, the ministry noted.
Held under the theme Dialogue and Solidarity: Two Essential Pillars for Promoting Peace and Sustainable Development, the two-day meeting is expected to address Israel’s ongoing attacks in Gaza and developments in other conflict zones across the Islamic world.
Established in 1969 following an arson attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, the OIC comprises 57 member states and is the world’s second-largest intergovernmental organization after the United Nations.
Türkiye, a founding member, assumed the council’s chairmanship during the 51st ministerial meeting in Istanbul in June 2025.
The Baghdad gathering marked the end of Ankara’s tenure, with Iraq taking over leadership of the council as member states seek common positions on regional security, humanitarian crises and broader challenges facing the Muslim world.
Sudanese Foreign Minister Muhyiddin Salim expressed appreciation for Türkiye’s diplomatic support on international platforms as Ankara reaffirmed its commitment to Sudan’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and postwar reconstruction.
In an interview with the Sudan News Agency (SUNA), Salim discussed regional and international efforts to end the conflict, identifying Türkiye, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, Russia and China among the countries supporting Sudan.
He welcomed Türkiye’s diplomatic backing and said Sudan remained open to serious initiatives aimed at ending the war, provided any settlement respected the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and the will of its people.
Salim also warned that foreign interference had prolonged the fighting and urged international actors to respect Sudan’s sovereignty.
Sudan has been engulfed in conflict since April 2023, when fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), triggering one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
According to the United Nations and international humanitarian organizations, the conflict has displaced millions and caused widespread loss of life.
Ankara pledges continued aid
Meanwhile, Türkiye’s ambassador to Sudan, Fahri Türker Oba, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that Ankara remained committed to supporting Sudan’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“Türkiye never abandoned Sudan, even during its most difficult days,” Oba said, highlighting the countries’ longstanding historical and cultural ties.
He said Turkish public institutions and nongovernmental organizations had provided humanitarian assistance, including shelter and essential supplies, since the conflict began.
Oba, whose father served as ambassador to Sudan 26 years ago, also outlined plans to deepen bilateral cooperation.
The ambassador emphasized the importance of rebuilding war-damaged cities, saying Turkish companies could contribute to Sudan’s economic recovery.
He said discussions with the governor of Red Sea state included plans for a Turkish-Sudanese business forum in Suakin in January, aimed at promoting joint investment projects.
Despite suffering substantial losses, Turkish entrepreneurs remained determined to resume operations, he added.
“We lost 70% to 80% of our assets. Even though everything was looted, we are still standing,” Oba quoted Turkish businesspeople as saying.
Turkish companies are exploring projects in shipbuilding, liquefied petroleum gas, food, furniture, construction and infrastructure.
Oba also highlighted educational cooperation, including efforts to reopen the war-damaged Turkish school in Khartoum for the 2027-2028 academic year.
“The future of our bilateral relations is bright, and it will be even brighter,” he noted, reaffirming Ankara’s continued support for Sudan’s people and institutions.
Despite Sudan’s ongoing conflict and broader regional challenges, bilateral trade reached approximately $390 million in 2025, according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry.
Türkiye has continued humanitarian support, sending eight aid ships carrying around 12,000 tons of relief supplies and 30,000 tents since mid-2024.
In July 2025, Türkiye’s Health Ministry delivered 64 tons of medical supplies to support Sudan’s response to a cholera outbreak.
The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) demonstrated their joint operational capabilities during a large-scale military exercise in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), deploying fighter jets, attack helicopters, naval vessels and commando units in coordinated land, air and sea operations.
The Distinguished Observer Day of the Martyr Capt. Cengiz Topel Mediterranean Storm-2026 Exercise was held at the Sadrazamköy Training Area, bringing together Turkish military personnel and units of the Turkish Cypriot Peace Forces Command.
The exercise was attended by TRNC Prime Minister Ünal Üstel, Parliament Speaker Ziya Öztürkler and Türkiye’s ambassador to Lefkoşa, Ali Murat Başçeri.
Four F-16 fighter jets and a CN-235 transport aircraft from the Turkish Air Forces Command participated alongside three T-129 ATAK attack helicopters and three AS-532 utility helicopters operated by the Turkish Land Forces Command.
The Turkish Cypriot Peace Forces Command deployed M48 A5T2 tanks, 155-millimeter howitzer batteries, mechanized infantry and commando units, while the Turkish navy contributed a frigate, fast attack craft, unmanned aerial vehicles, amphibious units and underwater defense and assault teams.
Joint combat operations
The live-action phase featured maritime infiltration, airborne operations, helicopter assaults, offensive maneuvers and combat search-and-rescue missions.
Special operations teams conducted maritime infiltration missions, while commandos were deployed by helicopter into designated target areas. Paratroopers carried out free-fall jumps as part of the exercise.
T-129 ATAK helicopters conducted live-fire missions using LUMTAS anti-tank missiles and Cirit laser-guided rockets, while F-16 fighter jets provided air support under the exercise scenario.
The operations highlighted the Turkish military’s ability to coordinate multiple service branches during complex combat missions.
Turkish military presence ‘red line’
Speaking after the exercise, Öztürkler praised the Turkish military’s capabilities and emphasized its role in ensuring the security of Turkish Cypriots.
“The Turkish Cypriot people have always felt safe and secure thanks to the Turkish military,” he underlined.
Öztürkler described the continued presence of Turkish troops and Türkiye’s guarantor status on the island as nonnegotiable.
“The presence of Turkish troops and Türkiye’s guarantor status are our red lines,” he said, stressing that neither issue could be opened for discussion.
He also praised Türkiye’s advances in defense technology, saying the exercise demonstrated the country’s growing military capabilities under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Referring to the Greek Cypriot administration’s military cooperation agreements with other countries, Öztürkler said Turkish Cypriots did not need military support from any country other than Türkiye.
He also reaffirmed the historical ties between Türkiye and the TRNC, recalling the 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation and pledging to continue honoring both countries’ flags.
Honoring fallen pilot
The exercise was named after Turkish Air Forces Command Capt. Cengiz Topel, who was captured by Greek Cypriots after his F-100 fighter jet was shot down during an operation near Erenköy in August 1964. Topel was subjected to inhumane torture as a prisoner of war by his captors and died in captivity on Aug. 9, 1964, and was later buried at Istanbul’s Edirnekapı Martyrs’ Cemetery.
First held in 2019, the Mediterranean Storm exercise marked its eighth edition this year.
The live-action phase concluded with a ceremonial military parade and an official protocol program.
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) is preparing a judicial reform package that would introduce time limits on alimony payments following a Constitutional Court ruling on indefinite alimony.
According to information obtained by Anadolu Agency (AA), lawmakers are drafting the 13th Judicial Package under the leadership of Abdullah Güler, the party’s parliamentary group chair. The bill is expected to be submitted to Parliament in the coming days.
The proposed amendment to Article 175 of the Turkish Civil Code would remove the word “indefinitely” from the provision governing alimony for spouses who cannot support themselves financially.
Under the draft, judges would determine alimony periods based on factors including the length of the marriage, the recipient spouse’s age, education and health, their ability to meet their own financial needs, and the impact of payments on the paying spouse’s post-divorce life.
The period would be at least three years and could not exceed half the length of the marriage. However, judges could order longer payments if the recipient cannot work because of a wrongful act by the paying spouse or is older and lacks a regular income due to the length of the marriage.
The proposed rules would also apply to pending cases and existing alimony awards, with transitional provisions determining when payment obligations would end under the new system.
The package would also restrict appeals in divorce proceedings. Decisions rejecting appeals on the merits in cases involving divorce, child custody, alimony and compensation would generally become ineligible for further appeal to the Court of Cassation.
However, further appeals would remain possible when first-instance courts and regional appellate courts issue conflicting decisions.
The changes aim to protect the right to a fair trial while ensuring that divorce cases are concluded within a reasonable time.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended the funeral Friday of Üsküdar Deputy Mayor Dündar Ziya Gültekin, who died following a multivehicle crash on a highway in northwestern Türkiye.
Gültekin, 43, died after the vehicle he was traveling in was involved in a chain-reaction collision near the Düzce toll booths on the Anatolian Highway on Thursday while heading toward Ankara.
Harun Dursun, 33, an Üsküdar municipal official and Justice and Development Party (AK Party) district media representative, was injured in the crash. Reports indicated that Gültekin suffered a fatal heart attack during the incident.
A funeral prayer was held after Friday prayers at Istanbul’s Grand Çamlıca Mosque, attended by Erdoğan, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, Istanbul Deputy Mayor Nuri Arslan, senior AK Party officials, relatives and mourners.
Speaking before the funeral prayer, Erdoğan expressed condolences to Gültekin’s family and praised his public service.
“He had taken on an important responsibility in Üsküdar in a very short time,” Erdoğan said, noting that Gültekin had been traveling to Ankara on official business when the crash occurred.
Erdoğan also offered prayers for Gültekin and wished patience and strength to his family, including his three children.
The funeral prayer was led by Türkiye’s head of religious affairs, Safi Arpaguş, before the coffin was taken to Nakkaştepe Cemetery for burial.
Gültekin, a municipal council member from the AK Party, was elected acting mayor of Üsküdar on Sept. 8, in a rerun vote following a court decision suspending the previous election. Üsküdar Mayor Sinem Dedetaş was arrested on July 31 as part of an investigation into allegations of establishing a criminal organization, bribery and extortion. She was subsequently suspended from office by the Interior Ministry, prompting the special election.
Earlier Friday, a memorial ceremony was held outside Üsküdar Municipality, where colleagues, relatives and residents gathered to pay their respects.
The AK Party Istanbul provincial chair, Abdullah Özdemir, described Gültekin, a friend of more than 20 years, as a devoted father and public servant.
The municipality also issued a tribute, saying Gültekin would be remembered for his dedication to Üsküdar and the strong bonds he had built with local residents.
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