Politics
Russia ‘works’ with Türkiye for Black Sea shipping safety
As Türkiye pushes for safe shipping across the Black Sea, Russia announced that it “worked closely” with Ankara to ensure it. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said this in response to remarks by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan about a proposal sent to Moscow for ending hostilities in the Black Sea.
Türkiye has been pushing Russia and Ukraine to suspend attacks on civilian vessels, with Fidan demanding a “moratorium” on Aug. 8. The attacks have intensified as the foes seek to damage each other’s export revenues, with the war now raging into a fifth year.
NATO member Türkiye maintains relations with Kyiv and Moscow and has declined to join Western sanctions against Russia. Its ships are active in the Black Sea, sailing under various countries’ flags, with several hit by drones believed to be launched by Ukraine.
In August, the Foreign Ministry said it had summoned Ukraine’s envoy following an attack on the Lider Bordo Mavi, a container ship off the Russian coast, and a subsequent attack on the Lider Kocatepe, which was sent to tow it away. Both are Turkish-owned vessels. Anchored in the northeastern port of Trabzon, the Lider Bordo Mavi appeared to have sustained damage to its bridge deck and the two decks below, showing signs of major fire damage, Agence France-Presse (AFP) correspondents said.
Türkiye has repeatedly raised the idea of reviving the grain corridor format to safeguard Black Sea shipping, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan saying he would discuss the matter with Russian President Vladimir Putin in November.
Türkiye has built a reputation as a reliable power broker and mediator in international affairs under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. On the International Day of Peace, observed on Monday, this role is under the spotlight, especially in Africa. Experts say Türkiye’s approach to Africa through mediation, diplomacy, humanitarian aid, development and capacity building contributes to peace and stability processes across the continent.
The country obtained observer status with the African Union (AU) in 2005 and was declared a strategic partner of the continent in 2008. Peace and security are also among the priority areas of cooperation within the Türkiye-Africa partnership.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Dr. Alioune Aboutalib Lo, a researcher at the Africa Coordination and Training Center (AKEM), an Istanbul-based think tank, and Dr. Tarık Nur, a Sudanese academic and faculty member at Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University in Türkiye, assessed the country’s efforts toward peace and stability on the continent.
Lo said promoting peace and mediation had become an important component of Türkiye’s Africa policy over the past 20 years, noting that Ankara has been involved in various processes on the continent at both multilateral and bilateral levels.
Türkiye’s engagement with the continent gained unprecedented momentum after Ankara declared 2005 the “Year of Africa.”
Ankara has repeatedly presented itself as a fairer player than the continent’s former colonial powers, touting cooperation based on “equal partnership and a win-win principle.”
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has made more than 50 visits to African nations both as prime minister and president during the past two decades.
Pointing to Türkiye’s contributions to peace efforts in Sierra Leone under initiatives carried out within the framework of the United Nations (U.N.), as well as to the U.N. Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) and the U.N. Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), Lo said that at the bilateral level, Ankara has used diplomacy to bring parties involved in disputes closer together.
Lo said the Ankara Process between Somalia and Ethiopia was one of the most concrete examples of this approach, adding that Türkiye has also facilitated talks between Somalia and Somaliland, played a role in the Libya file and undertaken diplomatic initiatives regarding the dispute over Nile waters between Ethiopia and Egypt.
Emphasizing that the relations Türkiye has developed with African countries over the years have enabled Ankara to engage with different sides, Lo said: “Türkiye’s advantage is that it can talk to all parties involved in a conflict.”
Lo said Türkiye’s strengthened bilateral relations on the continent had put it in a position to initiate dialogue between different actors and made mediation one of its diplomatic tools.
Referring to the dispute between Somalia and Ethiopia, Lo said Türkiye’s political, diplomatic and economic relations with both countries had been instrumental in bringing the two sides together in Ankara.
Talks that began in July 2024 under Türkiye’s facilitation culminated in the Ankara Declaration, adopted on Dec. 11, 2024, under the auspices of Erdoğan. Somalia and Ethiopia reaffirmed their respect for each other’s sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity.
Commenting on the situation in West Africa and the Sahel, Lo said the region was becoming increasingly complex in terms of peace and security and that terrorism was one of the main challenges facing countries in the region.
Noting that Türkiye’s relations with countries in the region had strengthened in recent years, Lo said Ankara had developed ties not only with West African countries but also with countries belonging to the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
Lo said Türkiye’s role in the region extended beyond diplomatic and economic relations to the security sphere, adding that some Sahel countries were benefiting from Turkish defense industry products to develop their counterterrorism capabilities.
Sudanese academic Nur said Türkiye’s peace efforts in Africa should not be assessed solely through the lens of traditional mediation activities, noting that diplomacy, development cooperation, humanitarian aid, education and institutional capacity building were also components of long-term peace.
Citing Somalia as one of the clearest examples of Türkiye’s multidimensional approach, Nur emphasized that the Ankara Process also demonstrated Türkiye’s capacity to facilitate talks directly.
“It would be more accurate to view Türkiye’s role in Africa as a facilitation model that helps parties develop their own solutions, rather than producing a solution on behalf of one side,” Nur said.
Commenting on the ongoing war in his country, Nur said Türkiye could play a role in creating diplomatic space in Sudan, delivering humanitarian aid and supporting an inclusive political process that Sudanese parties could agree on.
Nur stressed that Türkiye’s coordinated efforts with the AU, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the U.N. and Sudan’s neighboring countries could produce more effective results, saying: “Peace should not be viewed as being limited to a cease-fire.”
Nur emphasized that restoring the functioning of state institutions, universities, and education and health infrastructure in Sudan after the war would be important for sustainable peace.
Nur said Türkiye could increase its coordination with Africa’s own peace mechanisms, adding that post-conflict reconstruction and human resource development were also among the areas in which Türkiye could contribute to peace processes on the continent in the coming period.
Türkiye’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) is preparing for a leadership congress expected in spring 2027, with party sources saying provincial chairs are likely to support incumbent leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu for another term.
The CHP formally launched its congress process on Sept. 10, beginning a schedule that will see delegates and local party officials elected across Türkiye’s 81 provinces.
All district and provincial congresses are scheduled to be completed by Feb. 14, after which the CHP’s Party Assembly is expected to determine the date of the national congress.
Kılıçdaroğlu is widely expected within the party to seek the leadership again. Party sources noted that they do not currently expect a major challenger and claimed provincial chairs broadly support his continued leadership.
Discussions among provincial officials have already begun, the sources said, adding that the chairs could issue a joint declaration backing Kılıçdaroğlu shortly before the congress.
The congress will follow months of upheaval within the CHP after a court ruling invalidated the party’s 2023 congress, leading to his return to the leadership.
Since returning, Kılıçdaroğlu has overseen changes to provincial and district organizations and disciplinary proceedings involving several party members.
The upcoming local congresses will also elect a new group of delegates who will ultimately take part in choosing the CHP leadership at the national congress.
Türkiye on Monday rejected international media claims that its “My Family is Safe” operations were being conducted arbitrarily or against specific groups, saying the investigations target organized criminal networks accused of offenses including drug trafficking, prostitution and child abuse.
The Directorate of Communications described the reports as “unfounded,” saying they distorted the purpose and legal basis of the nationwide operations.
Authorities said the investigations focus on organized networks suspected of involvement in narcotics, prostitution, facilitating prostitution and the abuse or exploitation of children.
The directorate stressed that protecting children from drugs, sexual abuse, commercial sexual exploitation and digital manipulation is a fundamental responsibility of the state.
It said investigations are being conducted under judicial supervision and based on evidence, official reports and legal proceedings in accordance with the rule of law.
The statement also linked the measures to Türkiye’s 2026-2035 “Decade of Family and Population,” under which authorities have pledged to pursue policies centered on protecting children and strengthening families.
Türkiye will continue efforts to safeguard children and the family structure despite what the directorate described as external pressure and disinformation campaigns, the statement said.
The directorate also urged the international community to exercise caution over reports it said were intended to misrepresent the operations and influence international public opinion.
Denizkurdu, or Sea Wolf, returned for its first phase on Sunday. Turkish Naval Forces launched the twice-yearly drill, which will continue until Sept. 25, to polish the skills of its personnel and demonstrate the growing power of its fleet, bolstered by locally made vehicles.
Sea Wolf, involving 100 vessels, 50 aircraft, including drones, and 14,000 military personnel, will test the navy in the Black Sea, Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean. Türkiye seeks to assert its authority in the three seas through the “Blue Homeland” concept of preserving its maritime boundaries. The exercise comes amid growing tensions between Türkiye and Greece over a dispute regarding Aegean borders and the military status of Greek islands lying a few miles from the Turkish coast. The exercise is being held on Sept. 20-25.
The Turkish military will simultaneously conduct drills in the three seas. Along with the naval forces, soldiers from the land forces, air forces and coast guard will participate in the drills. The Defense Ministry recently said the exercise would include training for operational preparedness and weapons training.
Sea Wolf exercises, which are held in two phases every year, “Denizkurdu-I” and “Denizkurdu-II,” are among the largest maritime drills in the Turkish Armed Forces’ calendar. They serve to demonstrate Türkiye’s naval deterrence and its ability to coordinate across multiple regions, including the Black Sea, Aegean and Mediterranean.
Türkiye continues to modernize its naval capabilities through domestic platforms, including the TCG Anadolu amphibious assault ship and domestically produced unmanned sea vehicles. Along with the TCG Anadolu, the TCG Istanbul frigate, the TCG Derya replenishment ship and the Murat Reis submarine, Türkiye’s domestic naval defense capabilities are further enhanced by unmanned surface vessels, including Marlin, Sancar, Ulaq and Salvo.
Türkiye is currently working on the National Aircraft Carrier (MUGEM) project, which is expected to enter service in 2032. The carrier will operate unmanned aerial vehicles, air defense systems, command-and-control platforms and other domestically developed defense systems.
The exercise will likely be closely observed by Greece, especially after a warning issued by the Defense Ministry to Athens last Thursday. The ministry invited Greece “to adhere to its obligations under international agreements and avoid activities incompatible with the demilitarized status of the islands” after Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited Kastellorizo island, near the Turkish coast, over the weekend.
“The Greek prime minister’s visit to the island of Kastellorizo with his accompanying delegation and his contacts with military personnel stationed there have been closely followed. The deployment of military personnel and warships on Kastellorizo, which was ceded to Greece under the 1947 Paris Peace Treaty on the condition that it maintain a demilitarized status, and the public display of these military assets as part of high-level visits are incompatible with the island’s status and do not contribute to peace and stability,” the ministry said.
“We once again emphasize that efforts to create a de facto situation in violation of Kastellorizo’s demilitarized status, given its extremely close proximity to the Turkish coast, are incompatible with international obligations and will not be accepted by our country. While Türkiye advocates making the Aegean Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean areas of peace and stability and developing relations between Türkiye and Greece on the basis of good-neighborly relations and dialogue, this approach does not mean that we will tolerate the disregard of rights and obligations arising from international treaties or the creation of de facto situations on the ground,” the ministry said.
Mitsotakis said during the visit that the island did not pose a threat to Türkiye, describing it as “a Greek and European outpost.” The visit came weeks after Greece signed a major defense deal with Türkiye’s archfoe Israel and unveiled plans to boost its air defenses.
The ministry also responded to questions about the deployment of a commando brigade to Söke, a western Turkish town opposite the Greek island of Samos, saying it was “an arrangement made in line with the mission and operational requirements of the Turkish Armed Forces” and was approved in June following “evaluations.”
Greek media outlets had already sounded the alarm over the Sea Wolf exercise. Ta Nea newspaper portrayed it as a “military activity at a critical conjuncture, a show of force with political and military messages,” while the Neos Kosmos news website reported it under the headline “Alarm in the Aegean” and noted that Greek warships, submarines and surveillance crews would monitor the movements of the Turkish navy during the drills.
Greece itself joined Egypt for the Medusa-15 naval exercise last week in the Mediterranean Sea, only to be mocked on Turkish social media over the less-than-perfect landing skills of Greek troops on a beach, including some troops stumbling while jumping onto the beach and others falling into the water after losing their balance because of their heavy loads.
Earlier this month, Greek and Israeli navies also held a joint maritime drill in the Mediterranean, with the participation of two Israeli and two Greek vessels.
Türkiye is also on alert over the military activities of Greek Cypriots on the divided island of Cyprus. Like Greece, the Greek Cypriot administration has stepped up its partnership with Israel, Türkiye’s chief enemy, to the chagrin of Ankara and Turkish Cypriots on the island.
Greek Cypriots are expected to showcase the Barak MX air defense system they acquired from Israel for the first time on Oct. 1, during a military parade on the island. Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias will also be present at the parade, along with officials from Egypt.
Greek Cypriot, Greek and Egyptian ministers are also scheduled to hold a joint meeting on future joint military drills and training activities in the coming days.
Greek Cypriots are also working on the modernization of an air base in Baf, or Paphos.
Prosecutors in Ankara issued detention warrants on Sunday for 29 suspects and sought the appointment of trustees to 23 companies in an investigation into a criminal gang led by Alihan Kuriş, the leader of the Süleymancılar movement. Since August, 80 suspects, including Kuriş, have been arrested in a far-reaching investigation into the influential movement, which faces a series of charges, including money laundering and fraud.
Investigators are also looking into allegations that Kuriş and his associates sought to influence elections by ostracizing those who did not vote for the political parties they were instructed to support. Statements by three eyewitnesses in the case show that Kuriş and senior figures in the movement instructed followers to vote for the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) in past elections and barred those who opposed them from entering mosques and other facilities controlled by Süleymancılar.
Prosecutors say that Kuriş and his associates facilitated off-the-books financial transactions and engaged in activities aimed at laundering proceeds believed to have been obtained through criminal activity. Evidence was uncovered indicating that unregistered transfers of money and securities were carried out, consultancy services were provided for the organization’s official and bureaucratic procedures, and intermediaries facilitated the acquisition of movable and immovable assets needed by the organization at below-market prices. Evidence was also found that proceeds believed to have been obtained through criminal activity were concealed as cash within aid shipments sent abroad and transported through logistics companies.
The investigation found that some of the organization’s financial aid transfers abroad were made through online payment systems, while a significant portion was delivered off the books through trusted couriers via logistics companies. It was also determined that certain companies and individuals provided consultancy services to make these transactions, which were carried out in violation of established procedures, appear legally compliant. The investigation also uncovered findings, based on digital materials, witness statements, financial records and other evidence, indicating that the suspects had engaged in organizational and financial activities aimed at influencing electoral processes held in the country.
The Süleymancılar originated as a religious movement named after the 20th-century Islamic scholar Süleyman Hilmi Tunahan, Kuriş’s great-grandfather. Authorities say the investigation is not directed against the religious movement and instead focuses on alleged financial wrongdoing by Kuriş and other figures in the group, which prosecutors have named the “Alihan Kuriş criminal syndicate.”
The opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) seeks to restore its image, tarnished by the arrest of mayors on corruption charges. As promised by reinstated leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, the “cleansing process” will now involve pre-emptive steps to prevent future cases. Starting next year, the party will introduce a “performance monitoring system” for its mayors, which will serve as a benchmark to assess whether they comply with the CHP’s predetermined criteria.
With this move, the mayors’ work both to date and in the period ahead will come under scrutiny. Their performance will be assessed based on how many of the criteria they have met, and at the end of the process, they will, in a sense, be given a “report card.”
The mayors will undergo reviews in a number of areas, including project management, financial management, human resources management and public relations. The flow of funds in municipalities, investments and the allocation of tenders are also expected to be examined comprehensively.
Mayors whose activities are deemed suspicious, who fail to meet the established criteria or are found to have performed poorly will not be nominated in the next election. Throughout the process, the main focus will be on clean politics and financial transparency.
All of the mayors who remain under the CHP umbrella are individuals who were nominated in the last local elections during Özgür Özel’s tenure as party chairperson. The party leadership also plans to hold a meeting of mayors shortly to strengthen central authority and discuss steps to be taken for the coming year.
Meanwhile, the CHP will hold a camp for its lawmakers in Bolu’s Abant district from Sept. 25-27, ahead of the opening of the new parliamentary term. Kılıçdaroğlu will also attend the camp. The meetings will address the new legislative year as well as developments within the party.
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