Politics
Investigation underway for TSK soldiers killed by gas exposure: Ankara
Authorities are investigating the death of 12 Turkish soldiers who were exposed to methane gas in northern Iraq, Türkiye’s Defense Ministry said Thursday.
Last week, 19 Turkish soldiers were exposed to deadly gas in a cave in northern Iraq’s mountainous regions where the PKK terrorist group has hideouts.
“The incident is being thoroughly investigated from all aspects, and the source of the carbon monoxide, methane and hydrogen sulfide gases found inside the case is being probed, including with the use of unmanned systems,” the ministry said in a statement released after a weekly press briefing.
The incident occurred as troops were searching for the remains of a fellow soldier who was shot dead by the PKK in the area in May 2022. His body was never recovered. At the time, Türkiye was waging Operation Claw Lock, with its troops seeking to eradicate PKK members holed up in caves along the border.
The Defense Ministry said troops continue to comb through and destroy terrorist shelters and tunnels in the region and search for the remains of soldiers killed in the past.
During such operations, Turkish troops recovered the body of Sgt. Mustafa Bazna on Jan. 29 and Nurettin Tokyürek on March 26 this year, the ministry noted.
It also dismissed allegations circulating online about the incident, claiming that the soldiers entered the cave at the same time; their equipment was incomplete or they did not have gas masks; that there was a trap or a chemical gas; a cave-in occurred or that a soldier was killed or injured by shrapnel. The ministry labeled all of the rumors “completely unfounded.”
“The incident was an exceptional, unpredictable and unusual event that resulted in a profoundly traumatic outcome for everyone,” the ministry said, stressing that additional measures would be taken to ensure “necessary lessons are learned and similar tragedies never occur again.”
The incident plunged the nation into sorrow, with funeral ceremonies for the martyrs drawing in large crowds in their hometowns earlier this week. The sight of flag-draped coffins of “martyrs” has been rare in Türkiye in recent years as the PKK, which has been chiefly responsible for the deaths of a large number of soldiers and other security officers since the 1980s, dwindled in numbers thanks to counterterrorism efforts.
The incident also preceded the expected start of the PKK’s disarmament as part of the terror-free Türkiye initiative later this week.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker discussed Türkiye-Austria bilateral relations, as well as regional and global issues, according to a statement from Türkiye’s Communications Directorate on Wednesday.
President Erdoğan emphasized the need to fully harness the trade and investment potential between Türkiye and Austria and said both countries will continue taking steps to enhance cooperation in key sectors.
Touching on global conflicts, Erdoğan underlined that Türkiye remains committed to efforts aimed at ending wars and highlighted the urgency of not missing emerging opportunities to bring the Russia-Ukraine conflict to a close.
He also drew attention to the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, calling it a catastrophe and stressing the urgent need for humanitarian aid to reach the enclave without delay.
Regarding Syria, Erdoğan reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to promoting long-term stability in the country. He stressed that improving social and economic conditions would be vital in facilitating the safe return of Syrian refugees to their homeland.
The outgoing head of the Turkish Presidency’s Directorate of Communications, Fahrettin Altun, handed over his duties to Burhanettin Duran on Thursday in an emotional ceremony in Ankara.
The inaugural chief of the institution that reshaped the presidency’s public communication efforts and fight against disinformation was appointed as the first chair of the directorate in 2018.
Duran, the country’s deputy foreign minister, thanked President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for his appointment that was made official on Thursday. His predecessor Altun will now head the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Türkiye (TIHEK). The respected academic who was once a columnist for Daily Sabah like Duran, thanked Erdoğan for his appointment seven years ago.
“I am happy and proud to hand over my duty to Duran, a valuable friend and former colleague. President Erdoğan set out a vision for us and always supported us. The Directorate of Communications has worked with great sacrifice to build the Turkish Communications Model. I also would like to thank journalists attending our ceremony today who worked as soldiers of truth in this post-truth age. I am grateful to them. I also thank my family whom I felt neglected while working here,” Altun said.
For his part, Duran said he was particularly happy to succeed Altun, noting their friendship going back to their academic years and their work at the think-tank Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA).
He said that they would continue the next-generation national communications model shaped by Altun and his team. “(The directorate) did many good things to enhance Türkiye’s international reputation as an influential power, to improve its soft power,” Duran said.
“Let people sort out who is guilty and who is not,” Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chair Devlet Bahçeli said on Tuesday in response to the main opposition’s call for a live broadcast of the trial of its mayors accused of corruption.
The statement of the MHP leader is backed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
“I think it is a good proposal and will be good,” Erdoğan told reporters inquiring about his comments on Bahçeli’s remarks on Wednesday.
His statements demonstrate that the government may open trials to public viewing, as minutes later, Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç told reporters in Ankara that it is at the discretion of Parliament.
“A legal article blocks live broadcast, but if Parliament reaches a consensus, it can be amended,” Tunç said.
The main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) has seen a slew of its mayors detained or arrested since last year on charges of graft. The CHP claims the charges are politically motivated despite a plethora of evidence and testimonies of people confessing that they bribed mayors and municipal bureaucrats. CHP Chair Özgür Özel has repeatedly urged authorities to allow a live broadcast of the trial of their mayors in hearings, especially in the case of their future presidential candidate, former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu. Recently, authorities have launched an investigation into the leak of a photo of Imamoğlu in the courtroom during his corruption trial, citing laws banning photo shoots at courts.
After Imamoğlu’s arrest in March, more mayors and municipal officials from the CHP were detained and arrested. Some are linked to the investigation into an alleged ring of corruption led by Imamoğlu in Istanbul. On Tuesday, Adana Mayor Zeydan Karalar was remanded into custody after his detention along with the mayors of Antalya and Adıyaman in a corruption investigation. Meanwhile, the mayor of Adıyaman was released with judicial control, while Antalya Mayor Muhittin Böcek was remanded into custody and suspended from office by the authorities. Last week, police also caught a deputy district mayor in Antalya’s Manavgat district red-handed, as he allegedly accepted euros in bribe hidden in a box of baklava.
Addressing his party’s parliamentary group meeting on Wednesday, Erdoğan said the CHP has evolved into a “party of extortionists from a people’s party.” He said the judiciary is investigating “the biggest gang of thieves, the most reckless organized crime gang.” He underlined that those who complained about bribes and those who took bribes “were both members of CHP.”
A corruption, extortion and bribery network that began in Istanbul has spread to multiple cities and districts, Erdoğan said. “The tentacles of the octopus in various provinces and districts have begun to be exposed one by one. The situation in other cities is the same. In those places, too, the complaints are mostly from and about members of the CHP,” Erdoğan stated.
“The only thing the judiciary does is to address these complaints, which is a purely legal process, not a political one,” Erdoğan said.
“The CHP is so desperate that they are even trying to blame us for a blatant crime in which euros were found inside baklava boxes during a bribery operation.”
Asked about the bribe inside the baklava box footage circulated on the media after Deputy Mayor Engin Tüter was detained, Özel has stated that he was “shocked,” partially admitting that the deputy mayor took the bribe, unlike previous cases where he rejected accusations toward other mayors tainted with corruption allegations.
“I am glad you are shocked, Mr. Özgür. You will get used to it. You will be shocked more and more. You will be embarrassed,” Erdoğan said.
He also underlined that the state would not tolerate corruption and would ensure accountability. “The theft of every penny, every bribe taken, every public asset looted will be questioned in court. Our legal institutions have a duty to ensure this,” Erdoğan continued.
He reaffirmed that the government would carry out its duties in line with the Constitution and laws.
Referring to the opposition’s calls for early elections, Erdoğan reminded that the next presidential and parliamentary elections would be held in 2028, and local elections in 2029, as dictated by the Constitution and the Election Law.
“The opposition may wish for early elections, but it is not our agenda. The last election gave us 52.18% of the vote to rule for five years, and we will serve for that full term,” Erdoğan stated.
Erdoğan also accused the opposition of seeking foreign intervention in Türkiye’s internal affairs.
“They even stooped to asking Western countries and institutions why they are not intervening in Türkiye as they did before. They have betrayed their country by complaining to foreign media and political circles,” he said.
Özel traveled to Brussels to attend EU events where he sought to rally European lawmakers to support them against “political” arrests of mayors.
Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş and the head of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), Ibrahim Kalın, held talks on the terror-free Türkiye initiative on Wednesday.
A statement released by the parliament said that Kalın briefed Kurtulmuş about the progress of the initiative.
The two also discussed the planned roadmap following the beginning of the PKK terrorist group’s arms surrender and the proposed parliamentary commission that will oversee the next phase of the process.
The MIT is tasked with monitoring the PKK’s disarmament process.
Earlier on Wednesday, the PKK terrorist group’s imprisoned leader Abdullah Öcalan appeared in a video and reaffirmed the group’s commitment to dissolution. It is the first video message of Öcalan, who serves a life sentence in an island prison off the coast of Istanbul. It came ahead of an anticipated ceremony of PKK members to lay down arms.
The message is another milestone in the terror-free Türkiye initiative launched last year by government ally Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). The initiative started with a call to Öcalan to urge his group to abandon arms. Öcalan consented and made the call in February through a written message. In his video message shot in June, Öcalan said a political framework was key to the success of the initiative.
Öcalan urged Parliament to set up a commission to oversee disarmament and manage a broader peace process.
He said the PKK had ended its separatist agenda, describing the shift as a “historic gain.” “The overall process of voluntary disarmament and the comprehensive commission envisioned to be established … by the Turkish Grand National Assembly (Parliament) are crucial. Care and sensitivity are essential,” Öcalan said.
Türkiye’s foreign and defense ministers held high-level meetings in Islamabad on Wednesday, discussing ways to expand cooperation in defense, aviation, and energy, as Ankara and Islamabad continue to strengthen their strategic partnership.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Defense Minister Yaşar Güler met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan Air Force Chief Air Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu, and other top officials during the visit, according to statements from both sides.
Türkiye’s Defense Ministry said Güler and Sidhu exchanged views on regional security and defense cooperation, with particular focus on the defense industry. Sidhu expressed Pakistan’s interest in advancing joint efforts in military training and aviation technologies. Güler, in turn, emphasized the importance of expanding collaboration in drone systems and aviation projects.
At a joint press conference, Fidan said Ankara and Islamabad were exploring potential cooperation in mining, natural gas, oil, and rare elements, building on an April agreement to conduct joint offshore oil and gas exploration near Pakistan.
Türkiye and Pakistan enjoy historically close ties. Ankara notably voiced support for Islamabad during a military conflict with India in May, prompting backlash from New Delhi. In response, Indian retailers and e-commerce platforms boycotted Turkish products, and India revoked security clearance for Türkiye-based aviation services provider, Çelebi, over alleged national security concerns.
Last week, Sharif met with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Azerbaijan, where they discussed bilateral relations, regional developments, and global issues. Erdoğan emphasized the need for continued joint efforts to halt Israel’s attacks on Gaza, establish a cease-fire, and ensure the uninterrupted delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinians.
Sharif reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening ties with Türkiye, highlighting shared goals of peace, stability, and sustainable development. Both sides underlined the importance of enhancing collaboration in key areas such as defense, connectivity, and investment.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has appointed Deputy Foreign Minister Burhanettin Duran as the new head of the Presidential Communications Directorate, according to a decree published in the Official Gazette on Wednesday.
Duran replaces Fahrettin Altun, who was named a member of the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Türkiye (TIHEK). The decision was signed by President Erdoğan.
Alongside Altun’s new appointment, Muhammet Ecevit Çarti was named deputy chair of TIHEK. The new members appointed to the board include Dilek Ertürk, Fatma Çınar, Erol Gökdöl, Melahat Demir Aydın, Selma Öztürk Pınar, Tayyip Uçar, Evren Başar, Ömer Çelen, and Selami Açan.
A former Daily Sabah columnist, Duran is a graduate of political science and international relations from the esteemed Boğaziçi University and a holder of an MA and Ph.D. in political science and public administration from Bilkent University. He was appointed as deputy foreign minister by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in May 2024.
In addition to having authored countless articles on Turkish intellectual history, foreign policy, extremism, Europe, democracy and civil society, in both Turkish and English, Duran has been the head of the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research (SETA) since its foundation in 2015.
He was named a member of the Presidential Board of Security and Foreign Policies in 2018.
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