Politics
NATO official hails Türkiye as ‘key actor’ for Russia-Ukraine peace
A NATO military committee chief has lauded Türkiye as a “key actor” in the peace process between Russia and Ukraine.
“Türkiye is doing a lot for the alliance. It is the second army of the alliance. And so, we cannot disregard this. The combat readiness, preparedness and efficiency of Türkiye’s armed forces are no doubt at the very top,” Adm. Giuseppe Cavo Dragone said Wednesday at a news briefing following the 18th Conference of the Chiefs of Staff of the Balkan Countries, which took place at the Multinational Joint Warfare Center Command in Istanbul.
Emphasizing Türkiye’s operational capabilities and contributions to NATO missions, particularly in conflict zones, Dragone described Ankara as “a strong pillar, a strong reference, a strong reliable ally.”
He also underlined that Türkiye is a fundamental element of NATO’s overall strategy and has been actively contributing to the Kosovo Force (KFOR), which it will command beginning in October.
So, you get the sense of “how important and how strong is Türkiye for us, for the alliance, and how much the alliance relies on Türkiye. That’s a matter of fact. And just the K4 example is one of the many,” he added.
“NATO’s posture is strong, let me say stronger than ever,” he said, adding that the alliance has two threats, defined as Russia and terrorist groups.
“There is no convenience for them to attack us. So, the strategy of NATO is being ready.”
“We are increasing it (the defense strategy) because we decided that we need to improve it for the present, coming from the lesson learned from Ukraine and maybe for the future to be ready to be up to speed and upgraded for the changing environment, the changing threat, because also the threat we have to admit that will change with time,” Dragone said.
Turkish armed drones
Türkiye was one of the first to understand the importance and the growth capability of uncrewed aerial vehicles, Dragone said, adding that many lives are likely being saved thanks to UAVs, not only among pilots and aviators but also seamen and soldiers. While not calling it the future outright, he noted that it will be a key element in the evolving nature of the battlefield.
Referring to the success of Turkish UAVs, he said: “Yours are on top. Yours are also combat-proven, which is something meaningful.”
Dragone also highlighted the operational capabilities of UAVs in air, sea and land operations, noting that their use at sea is both novel and strategically significant.
He stressed that uncrewed underwater vehicles enable cost-effective patrol, intervention and deterrence operations under the sea.
As for his expectations from the defense industry, Dragone said the goal should be to meet NATO’s operational capabilities and requirements promptly and cost-efficiently.
“(Defense industry), they need to change their mind. They need to not look anymore for just money, but they need to be part of the defense system,” he noted.
He added that the “occasion is a great chance to get together all the military leaders of this area,” noting that participants exchanged views at the conference and reached a shared understanding on ensuring the region’s security and stability.
A draft report prepared by a parliamentary committee on the prevention of juvenile crime was recently wrapped up and includes diverse suggestions to authorities.
In 2025, Parliament set up the Committee on Children Driven to Crime, a legal term for underage individuals committing crimes, after several murders of children committed by their peers grabbed headlines, along with the rise of criminal gangs recruiting minors as hitmen.
The report proposes a myriad of measures to curb the disturbing phenomenon. Among them are screening programs among preschoolers and primary school students to assess their mental health and social factors affecting their upbringing. Other proposals include broader surveillance of schools and legal amendments for minors involved in crimes to ensure “social justice.”
The draft report will be presented to Parliament’s presidency after more input by lawmakers. The report is composed of six chapters and 691 pages. In an introduction to the report, the committee’s chair, Müşerref Pervin Tuba Durgut, said the issue was tackled by the committee not as a mere judiciary matter but a multi-layered phenomenon affecting society. Durgut said they assessed risk factors driving children to commit crimes within a wide scope of interactions, from the impact of families, schools and peers to neighborhood ties, the digital world and public policies.
For months, the committee heard academics, experts and those affected by crimes committed by children driven into crime and made field visits.
Explaining that a cross-sectional study was also carried out with 610 children selected via stratified random sampling from 4,989 children in juvenile closed penal institutions and juvenile education houses, Durgut said they examined the risk factors the children were exposed to.
“The findings obtained from these studies have clearly demonstrated the need for inter-agency coordination, the importance of early intervention mechanisms, the dissemination of best practices developed at the local level, and the necessity of holistic policies that center the child in crime prevention. The committee’s work has contributed to understanding the multi-dimensional structure of juvenile delinquency and has revealed the importance of holistic, interdisciplinary and practice-based approaches in policy development processes,” she said.
The report also included official statistics and academic studies regarding juveniles dragged into delinquency in Türkiye.
Stating that juvenile delinquency has become a rising trend, the report stated that research on judicial incidents involving children and adolescents has generally developed in an upward direction.
According to the official data, the number of incidents involving children who came or were brought to security units due to an alleged crime rose from 133,829 in 2015 to 202,785 in 2024. The report stated, “Accordingly, an increase of approximately 51.5% occurred in the number of incidents involving children in the last 10-year period. This increase reveals that children’s contact with the judicial system has become more widespread.”
Among other suggestions in the report are mandatory hospitalization and treatment for children (if the court rules in favor) with anti-social behavior, disorders and substance addiction, effective public service models for psychological counseling and crisis intervention for at-risk families. Lawmakers suggested that families at risk should receive employment support and be included in income-generating programs, to prevent children from turning to crime to support themselves or their families.
The report also proposes the installation of camera systems in all schools and the introduction of electronic passes for entry to schools, in light of recent school shootings that have emerged as another threatening aspect of the phenomenon.
A suspected member of the Daesh terrorist group was killed on Tuesday, and his wife was wounded during a clash with Turkish special operations police conducting a raid near the capital, Ankara, authorities said.
The operation took place in the Sazağası neighborhood of Ankara’s Haymana district, where security forces moved to detain the suspects at their residence.
According to Turkish authorities, the suspects opened fire on police, triggering an exchange of gunfire. The male suspect, identified as 25-year-old Muhammed K., was killed at the scene, while his wife, identified only by the initials N.K., was captured alive after being wounded.
Investigators later determined that Muhammed K. had allegedly maintained contact with Daesh operatives through social media platforms and participated in online discussion groups linked to the terrorist group.
Moreover, authorities also said evidence collected during the investigation indicated that a Daesh operative identified as Ismael J.K.A. had allegedly communicated with Muhammed K. through TikTok and provided instructions related to potential activities in Türkiye.
Investigators also found that Muhammed K. operated two separate TikTok accounts. One account, reportedly bearing his own name, was allegedly used to join online chat groups associated with a publication linked to the Daesh.
A second account, operating under a nickname, was allegedly used to communicate with senior members of the group, according to the investigation.
Türkiye has carried out numerous operations against suspected Daesh members in recent years, targeting recruitment networks, financing activities and online propaganda channels. Authorities have repeatedly warned that social media platforms remain a key tool for communication and recruitment among extremist organizations.
Nimet Özdemir, a lawmaker who resigned from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), formally joined the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) on Wednesday.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan welcomed Özdemir at the parliamentary group meeting of the party.
Özdemir, a business executive, had left former CHP ally Good Party (IP) for the main opposition in 2024. She has been a member of Parliament’s Türkiye-EU committee and the environment committee.
Two weeks ago, another former IP lawmaker, Ersin Beyaz, joined the AK Party, soon after his resignation from the opposition party.
The AK Party has seen a stream of new transfers in the past two years.
Since the 2024 elections, 15 mayors have left their parties and joined the AK Party. Most of them were formerly members of the CHP.
Turkish court has released on Tuesday its detailed reasoning for convicting three defendants over the twin bombings in the southern border town of Reyhanlı that killed 53 people in 2013, describing the attack as an operation directed by intelligence elements linked to the Bashar Assad regime.
In its written ruling, Ankara’s 9th High Criminal Court outlined the planning, financing and execution of the May 11, 2013, attack, one of the deadliest terrorist incidents in modern Turkish history.
The court said evidence presented during the trial showed that instructions for the attack were received directly from Syrian intelligence-linked operatives and were carried out with the involvement of members of the THKP-C/Acilciler militant group.
According to the ruling, the group expanded its activities near the Turkish border during the Syrian civil war and operated in coordination with pro-Assad militia groups in Syria’s Latakia region. The court said the group later focused on planning attacks in Türkiye, particularly in Hatay province.
The decision identified three defendants, Memet Gezer, Temir Dükancı and Cengiz Sertel, as key participants in the procurement, transportation and financing of explosives used in the attack.
Judges said the explosives were smuggled from Syria into Türkiye through five separate maritime shipments using fishing boats. The materials were allegedly concealed in sacks and transported under the supervision of individuals linked to Syrian intelligence under Bashar Assad.
The court found that the defendants acted in coordination with Syrian intelligence operatives and played central roles in preparing the attack. Testimony and evidence presented during the proceedings indicated that those involved were promised large sums of money in exchange for carrying out logistical and operational tasks.
The explosions killed 53 people, including five children, and caused extensive damage to the town. Court records showed that 912 homes, 891 businesses and 148 vehicles were damaged in the blasts.
The court sentenced Gezer, Dükancı and Sertel to 53 aggravated life sentences each one for attempting to undermine the unity and integrity of the Turkish state and 52 separate sentences for murder. The defendants were also handed additional prison terms totaling 3,921 years for other offenses.
Türkiye and Poland pledged to deepen cooperation on security, defense and European affairs on Tuesday, as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan highlighted the two countries’ key role in Europe’s security architecture and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening ties with the European Union.
Speaking at a joint news conference with Polish President Karol Nawrocki, Erdoğan said the two NATO allies were working to enhance cooperation across a range of areas, describing Türkiye and Poland as indispensable partners in Europe’s security and defense architecture.
Erdoğan also thanked Warsaw for its support of Türkiye’s European Union accession bid and said it remained determined to advance relations with the bloc on the basis of mutual benefit and respect.
“As two NATO allies that play an indispensable role in Europe’s security and defense architecture, we are committed to strengthening our cooperation,” Erdoğan said.
He added that it had the will to further develop ties with the European Union while pursuing closer coordination with Poland on regional and strategic issues.
Turning to regional issues, he said: “One of the issues that must never be overshadowed in this context is the path toward lasting peace in Palestine and the Middle East.”
On Palestine, Erdoğan said Ankara expects Poland to maintain its support for a two-state solution, noting that Warsaw is among the countries recognizing the state of Palestine.
“We also thoroughly discussed the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine war and Iran-related issues during our meeting. We underlined the urgent need for peace in both areas,” he added.
Nawrocki, for his part, said cooperation between Türkiye and Poland carries strategic importance and that bilateral ties continue to expand across various fields, including the defense industry.
Nawrocki added that he discussed a range of issues with the Turkish president, particularly the Russia-Ukraine war, stressing that Poland and Türkiye play vital roles within NATO.
Polish president said trade between Poland and Türkiye has continued to grow despite the Ukraine war. He emphasized that both countries are responsible for defending the alliance’s flanks and described bilateral cooperation as strategically important, thanking Erdoğan for Türkiye’s support and adding that their ties help strengthen NATO.
He also highlighted defense cooperation as a key area, noting discussions on expanding collaboration between the two countries’ defense industries under a bilateral agreement signed last year.
Nawrocki said Polish soldiers use Bayraktar TB2 drones purchased from Türkiye and stressed Poland’s commitment to maintaining and extending its military presence at Incirlik Air Base.
Emphasizing the centuries-old friendship between Poland and Türkiye, the Polish leader said he will attend the upcoming NATO summit and congratulated Türkiye on hosting the alliance’s meeting in Ankara, expressing confidence that it would be productive.
Erdoğan welcomed Nawrocki with an official ceremony in Ankara.
Cavalry units escorted Nawrocki’s official vehicle from the avenue in front of the presidential complex to the protocol gate.
Erdoğan received Nawrocki at the main entrance, and as both leaders took their places at the ceremony area, a military band played the national anthems of Türkiye and Poland.
Following the ceremony, Erdoğan and Nawrocki moved on to a bilateral meeting. Erdoğan will also host an official dinner in honor of Nawrocki.
Also attending the ceremony were Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler, Communications Director Burhanettin Duran, Chief of Staff Hasan Doğan, Presidential Secretary-General Hakkı Susmaz, chief foreign policy and security adviser Akif Çağatay Kılıç, Türkiye’s ambassador to Warsaw Rauf Alp Denktaş, and Ankara Governor Yakup Canbolat.
Türkiye will continue supporting the Palestinian cause until an independent, sovereign and territorially contiguous Palestinian state is established along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi said on Tuesday during talks with his Palestinian counterpart in Ankara.
During a meeting with Palestinian Interior Minister Ziad Hab Al-Reeh, Çiftçi said the events unfolding in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories would be remembered as one of the greatest humanitarian tragedies of the modern era.
According to a statement from the Interior Ministry, the two ministers discussed regional developments, the situation in Gaza, support for Palestine and security cooperation between the two countries.
Çiftçi said Israeli attacks that have killed more than 72,000 Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023 had left deep scars on humanity’s conscience and criticized Israel for disregarding humanitarian and moral values. He added that more than 2,400 Israeli cease-fire violations and the displacement of over one million people highlighted the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
He also warned that Israel’s policies had expanded beyond the Palestinian territories to affect regional stability, citing developments involving Lebanon and Iran as evidence of the broader security risks facing the Middle East.
Türkiye, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, remains committed to efforts aimed at ending the bloodshed, alleviating the humanitarian crisis and advancing a two-state solution based on the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, Çiftçi said.
“Both our state and our nation approach the Palestinian issue with great sensitivity. Our support will continue with the same determination until an independent, sovereign and territorially intact Palestinian state is established with East Jerusalem as its capital,” he said.
Çiftçi said Türkiye had delivered humanitarian assistance to Gaza through 14 aircraft and 21 ships sent to Egypt’s El-Arish port and that total aid sent since Oct. 7, 2023 had reached nearly 110,000 tons through airlifts, maritime deliveries, locally procured assistance and cooperation with the United Nations.
He added that Türkiye was also expanding security cooperation with Palestine through training programs for Palestinian institutions. According to the ministry, Turkish law enforcement agencies have provided 108 training courses to Palestinian police personnel, while nearly 2,000 officers have participated in professional exchange programs. A total of 143 Palestinian students have graduated from Türkiye’s Police Academy, with additional students currently enrolled.
For his part, Hab Al-Reeh thanked Türkiye for its support of the Palestinian cause.
“We see this support at every stage of the Palestinian cause. We thank the Republic of Türkiye and everyone who stands with us,” he said, adding that Palestinians would continue to stand firm and pursue a just peace in the region.
Following the meeting, Hab Al-Reeh presented Çiftçi with a mother-of-pearl model of Al-Aqsa Mosque as a gift.
The critical threshold is exceeded in the National Combat Aircraft KAAN! US approves $700 million sale
Turkish Parliament suggests more screening to prevent juvenile crime
Daesh member killed in clash with Turkish police in Ankara
The critical threshold is exceeded in the National Combat Aircraft KAAN! US approves $700 million sale
Turkish Parliament suggests more screening to prevent juvenile crime
Daesh member killed in clash with Turkish police in Ankara
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