Politics
Govt ally suggests new office for terror-free Türkiye
Addressing the parliamentary group meeting of his Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) in Ankara on Tuesday, Devlet Bahçeli upped the ante in the terror-free Türkiye initiative he launched in 2024.
“If there is a need for an official status for Abdullah Öcalan, it should be defined clearly. We cannot ignore it. We have to define it in a way in favor of the state, to serve the initiative,” he said.
Bahçeli did not openly name it, but he also proposed the establishment of the title of Peace Process Coordinator, something for which Öcalan may be tasked. Öcalan is the leader of the PKK terrorist group. The PKK agreed to dissolve itself as part of the terror-free Türkiye initiative, after Öcalan, jailed for life and held in an island prison near Istanbul, urged the group to do so in a landmark statement in 2025.
Bahçeli had nothing but harsh words for Öcalan in the past, but his view of the fight against the PKK took a radical turn in autumn 2024. He first shook hands with lawmakers from a party associated with the PKK in a rare move and then invited Öcalan to Parliament in exchange for calling for the dissolution of the PKK. Öcalan did not visit Parliament, but Bahçeli’s remarks had repercussions across the political spectrum as unprecedented, coming from a nationalist politician who once called for the state to hang Öcalan.
Since the initiative began, Bahçeli has referred to Öcalan as the “founding leader” of the PKK, instead of “separatist-in-chief” as he called him in the past.
“The initiative will continue without concessions on security, but we cannot pretend there’s nothing to do regarding the status of Öcalan.
“If we want the process to be carried out, if we wish our call to be binding, it must be clearly evaluated within legal, political and moral standards. If Türkiye’s security and future are at stake, we cannot allow sudden reflexes, emotional reactions, social media noise, political uproar, baseless opposition theatrics, or uncertainties with no clear timetable,” he said.
“At this point, whatever the name of the mechanism needed, its essence must be clear. This mechanism should simultaneously safeguard social reconciliation, political normalization, democratic participation, the law of fraternity, public order, national security and a peaceful future. To put an end to these debates, I propose that it be called the “Peace Process and Politicization Coordination.” However, of course, other alternatives can also be developed. Our expectation is that the founding leadership of the PKK will assume a role under a defined framework. Because the core of the issue is the complete elimination of terrorism, the silencing of weapons, the definitive removal of terrorism from our agenda, the cleansing of politics from the tutelage of terror and the achievement of social integration,” he said.
Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit, a senior lawmaker from pro-PKK Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), which relayed Öcalan’s messages to the public and Parliament, welcomed Bahçeli’s proposals in comments to Reuters.
“Both his assessment of the process and his renewed emphasis on the need for legislation, highlighting that this law will advance the process, are very valuable. Similarly, his reiteration of Mr. Öcalan’s role in the process and his approach to linking this role with a specific status are also very valuable,” she said. “I think today’s speech is one that can breathe new life into the process, ease it, and pave the way for its progress.”
Türkiye was planning to start concrete work this month for legal regulations to facilitate the process. It would be based on a report of recommendations by parliament’s National Solidarity, Brotherhood and Democracy Committee. However, the terrorist group’s reported reluctance led to a pause in discussions for legal steps. Authorities, nevertheless, assure that the process did not come to a halt in its entirety.
Macron playing Napoleon
On foreign policy, Bahçeli hit out at the growing alliance between France and the Greek Cypriots. France has drawn the ire of Türkiye for its pledge to deploy troops to the divided island of Cyprus. Cyprus’ north is controlled by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Türkiye serves as a guarantor state and sides with the TRNC on issues related to sovereignty in the island. Macron was also quoted as saying that they would side with Greece in case of an attack by Türkiye, during a panel in Athens last month. The French Foreign Ministry later clarified remarks, claiming that Macron did not specify any country that Paris would counter in case of a threat to Greece.
The MHP leader said they always stood for peace, but they wouldn’t allow “fait accompli against Türkiye in the eastern Mediterranean, Aegean and Cyprus.”
“Türkiye never pursued tensions due to its principled foreign policy shaped by ‘peace at home, peace in the world,’” he said, referring to the famed quote of modern Türkiye’s founder, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. “However, a resolute Türkiye will stand against every step violating, ignoring the rights, security, maritime jurisdiction of Turkish Cypriots and the law of balance in the Aegean,” he underlined.
Bahçeli urged authorities to watch closely “security and energy contacts” between France, Greece, Greek Cypriots and Israel in the Eastern Mediterranean. “Every country is entitled to have its own foreign policy and alliances. But if those alliances aim to surround Türkiye, corner Turkish Cypriots, destabilize the Aegean or take unilateral steps in the Eastern Mediterranean, we cannot sit idly. France’s view of the region based on colonialist habits, historical complexes and anachronistic thinking of (hegemony) will not lead to stability. Mr. Macron’s attempt to act like Napoleon, something well above his political limit, will not contribute to centuries-old relations between the Turkish and French nations, which have been friends and most of the time, allies,” he said.
“If France becomes an instrument of narrow, anti-Türkiye calculations in the Eastern Mediterranean, regional peace, European security and France’s reputation will suffer. I would like to emphasize this point in particular: Greece acting with maximalist demands does not mean they are entitled under the law. The Greek Cypriot administration of Southern Cyprus, speaking on behalf of the entire island, does not create legitimacy for itself. Israel’s attempt to turn its own security concerns into a regional hostility against Türkiye does not produce lasting peace. Those who try to steer the region according to narrow calculations open new doors of risk not only for themselves but for the entire region.”
Stating that Cyprus cannot be regarded merely as a negotiation topic or a diplomatic file, Bahçeli said: “Cyprus represents Türkiye’s security depth, its maritime jurisdiction areas in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Turkish Cypriots’ right to existence, and the strategic memory of the Turkish nation. Land sales in Cyprus, foreign ownership, the concentration of real estate in strategic areas, and attempts to generate economic influence cannot be seen as ordinary commercial transactions. Land is not merely a title deed; at times it is a document of sovereignty, at times a guarantee of security, and at times the right of future generations.” Calling for the demographic balance, property structure, economic independence, and security sensitivities of the TRNC to be treated as national issues, Bahçeli stated that Türkiye will not leave the rights of Turkish Cypriots to the mercy of others.
“Those who are still distracted by EU romanticism on the island should turn their eyes to the eastern shores of the Eastern Mediterranean and carefully study what is happening in Palestine and Lebanon. They will see what statelessness, lack of protection, and absence of guarantees cost a people. The security, land, sovereignty, and future of the Turkish Cypriots cannot be entrusted to any illusion, any external persuasion or any diplomatic mirage. Türkiye will protect the existence of the TRNC, will not tie its legitimate interests in the Eastern Mediterranean to the approval of others, and will not allow the legal balance in the Aegean to be eroded,” he said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday that two Russian drones struck a Turkish-owned civilian vessel carrying corn in neutral waters in the Black Sea, killing the ship’s captain.
Zelenskyy said Azerbaijani and Indian nationals were aboard the vessel at the time of the attack.
Eleven crew members were rescued, including one who was injured, while the fate of another person was initially unknown, he said in a statement on social media platform X.
The Ukrainian leader described the vessel as a Turkish-owned civilian ship carrying corn and said it was sailing in neutral waters when it was hit by two Russian drones.
Ukraine had proposed measures aimed at reducing tensions and improving security in the Black Sea, and that proposals had also been put forward by third countries, Zelenskyy said.
He accused Russia of choosing attacks rather than ensuring the safe passage of civilian vessels and called for international pressure to restore security in the Black Sea and protect global food supplies.
The incident comes amid heightened security concerns over commercial shipping in the Black Sea as the Russia-Ukraine war continues.
Türkiye extended condolences to the people of Nigeria on Monday and said that it is “deeply saddened” over a deadly military aircraft crash in its Ondo state.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of lives resulting from the crash of a military aircraft today in Ondo state of Nigeria,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The statement also offered the nation’s condolences to those who lost their relatives in the accident and to the people of Nigeria.
A military helicopter crashed in the southwestern state of Ondo on Monday, according to Jimoh Abayomi, public relations officer for the state police.
Abayomi said an investigation into the accident had been launched and that security forces had been deployed to the crash site.
Nigerian Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo told reporters that the helicopter crashed near the Igbokoda Naval Base.
He said 25 passengers and seven crew members were on board, adding that the wreckage had been located and search and rescue operations in the area are ongoing.
Keyamo did not provide any information on casualties or injuries from the crash.
However, media reports quoted the African country’s president, Bola Tinubu, as saying that all 32 people on board lost their lives.
The crash was seen as one of the worst air disasters in recent years in Africa’s most populous country.
“The president extends his deepest condolences to the family of the 25 passengers and seven crew members involved,” Tinubu’s office said in a statement.
A video circulating on social media showed a small crowd gathered near a river while rescuers searched the area by boat.
The president said he had “directed the Nigerian Air Force to immediately commence a thorough investigation into the cause of the crash to prevent future occurrences.”
Three suspects, including a former deputy head of Türkiye’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK), have been jailed as part of an investigation into alleged political or military espionage involving the agency’s financial intelligence systems.
Former MASAK Deputy Chair Inönü Akgün Alp and agency employees Eda Aydoğan and Güner Eke were arrested as authorities investigate alleged unauthorized access to MASAK’s Integrated Financial Intelligence System, known as EMIS.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office is investigating claims that individuals and companies linked to the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) gained influence over the development and maintenance of MASAK’s critical digital infrastructure between 2012 and 2018.
According to findings cited in the investigation, Aydoğan, a former MASAK statistician, allegedly had administrator-level access to an Oracle Exadata database between 2016 and 2019 despite holding no managerial position.
The investigation also found that a security mechanism designed to alert senior officials when financial information belonging to politically exposed persons was accessed was disabled on Sept. 2, 2016.
Investigators allege that thousands of unauthorized searches involving President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, members of his family and some Cabinet officials were subsequently conducted through EMIS between September 2016 and December 2018.
Financial investigations by police and cybercrime units also uncovered alleged links between FETÖ and subcontracted technology companies responsible for MASAK’s software infrastructure and database management.
Türkiye’s Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) was appointed as trustee to several technology companies, whose partners included Hakan Çiçek, group’s civilian imam accused of playing a key role in the 2016 coup attempt detained at Akıncı Air Base, as well as other FETÖ operatives.
According to official reports cited in the investigation, the companies channeled TL 210 million ($4.3 million) to the group through public contracts.
Investigators also found that audit logs designed to record who accessed the systems had been disabled and identifying data deleted. The network is accused of erasing digital traces of unauthorized access involving senior government officials, including the president.
Investigators further allege that audit logs identifying users accessing the systems were disabled or deleted, making it more difficult to trace unauthorized searches.
Separately, witness testimony included in the case file alleges Aydoğan was involved in distributing questions ahead of a 2013 public personnel examination to individuals linked to FETÖ.
Türkiye will host the multinational Nusret-2026 Invitation Exercise from Oct. 6-16 in the Gulf of Izmir and off the coast of Karadeniz Ereğli, the Defense Ministry said Sunday.
The exercise will bring together Turkish forces, as well as military personnel and assets from allied and partner countries, with 20 ships, five aircraft and unmanned systems, the ministry said.
Participants will include units from the Turkish Naval Forces, Air Force and Coast Guard Command, as well as NATO’s Standing Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG-2), comprising assets from Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain and Türkiye.
The Black Sea Mine Countermeasures Task Group, known as MCM Black Sea, with units from Bulgaria, Romania and Türkiye, will also participate.
Explosive ordnance disposal and autonomous underwater vehicle teams from the United States, Belgium, the Netherlands, Kuwait, Romania and Oman will participate in the drills, while 32 military observers from a number of countries will attend.
According to the ministry, the exercise is aimed at improving the participating units’ capabilities in the planning, execution and assessment of mine warfare operations.
It also seeks to enhance interoperability among mine warfare units from different countries and strengthen their ability to conduct coordinated multinational operations.
Türkiye most recently conducted the Sea Wolf-I/2026 (“Denizkurdu-I/2026”) Exercise from Sept. 20-25 in the Black Sea, Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean, with 100 ships, 50 aircraft and 14,000 personnel taking part.
The growing rift between the main opposition New Party (YP) and the former main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) manifested in Muğla, a southwestern city home to world-famous Bodrum and other top tourism destinations. A local CHP official suggested that Mayor Ahmet Aras should face disciplinary proceedings for his contacts with YP.
YP was formed in July by Özgür Özel, the former chair of CHP. Özel was removed from office by a court ruling over allegations of vote-buying during a 2023 intra-party election that brought him to power. He was replaced by his predecessor Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. Kılıçdaroğlu’s return sparked a bitter row with supporters of Özel, who accused him of betraying the party by accepting the court’s request for his reinstatement. Özel initially appealed the verdict but decided to form the new party after receiving overwhelming support among CHP lawmakers.
Under Kılıçdaroğlu, CHP began what it called a “cleansing” process, expelling several figures accused of corruption. The new administration has been more muted about the fate of members openly supporting Özel while several mayors resigned from the party and remain independent, leaving the door open for a future switch to YP.
Aras, who was Bodrum mayor for CHP before his election as Muğla Metropolitan Municipality mayor in the 2024 elections, faces accusations of cooperating with YP while remaining in CHP. CHP’s local branch was angered when Aras temporarily handed over his duties to a YP municipal assembly member in Muğla during a recent visit to Syria. Aras also reportedly ceased contact with CHP’s Muğla branch.
Aziz Gürsoy, head of CHP’s disciplinary board in Muğla, told the Sabah newspaper that Aras has almost severed all ties with CHP.
“It is neither ethical nor legitimate for Mr. Aras to remain in the CHP under the current conditions. In fact, I believe there is bad intent here. He needs to be expelled immediately. Even during his trips abroad, he leaves the municipality (to YP). He has no communication with us. He no longer has any emotional or organic ties to the CHP,” Gürsoy stated.
Stating that they will protect the institutional structure of the CHP under all conditions and that no one is above the party, Gürsoy said: “The current picture creates serious concern among the CHP base. If this situation continues, as the president of the provincial disciplinary board, I will personally apply to headquarters for Mr. Aras’s expulsion. We will not hesitate to take any step necessary to protect the rights, rules and institutional structure of the CHP.”
According to the CHP bylaws, metropolitan mayors can only be referred to the High Disciplinary Board upon the request of the Party Assembly.
The name of Lütfü Türkkan, a lawmaker from the opposition Good Party (IP), came up in an investigation into judiciary officials accused of taking bribes. Prosecutors in Istanbul separated the case of Türkkan and referred it to Ankara on Monday for further investigation.
The Bakırköy Chief Prosecutor’s Office in Istanbul has recently ordered the arrest of eight suspects in an investigation into judges accused of taking bribes in exchange for verdicts in favor of defendants in some cases. The investigation specifically focused on a former judge working at the Court of Enforcement who was accused of receiving millions of Turkish liras in bribes.
Suspects in the case are also accused of running a criminal organization apparently thriving on bribes. Authorities are now looking into cases handled by several Istanbul courts between 2022 and 2024, on suspicion that some businesspeople, politicians and lawyers sought to influence trials and get verdicts in their favor in exchange for bribes, employing judges and court staff. In connection with the case, the Board of Judges and Prosecutors suspended five people, including judges and prosecutors.
In one instance of the suspicious cases, investigators are looking into the claim that M.Ş. and Y.A., identified only through their initials, served as mediators in a case involving lawmaker Türkkan and secured a verdict in favor of the lawmaker, reports by Turkish media outlets say.
In a social media post on Sunday, Türkkan rejected claims, though he acknowledged that a case he was party to was handled by one of the arrested judges. He said that being a party to a trial involving the suspect did not mean that he should be associated with “allegations (of bribery).” He said his lawyers were looking into the case and he never met the judge in person during the trial.
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