Minister of Internal Affairs Mustafa Çiftçi made important statements in the “Agenda Özel” program on A Haber. Minister Çiftçi explained the measures taken against violence in schools and the new steps to be taken in the fight against criminal gangs. Çiftçi noted that they have successfully continued their relentless fight against “New Generation Criminal Organizations” that threaten Türkiye’s security. Describing these structures as “street bandits”, Çiftçi said, “They use social media and the internet intensively, they transfer money through digital platforms. They do not have any principles, morals or rules; they can even touch women and children”, revealing the dangerous face of these groups and adding: “They are trying to escape abroad and manage their actions from there, but we will not let them breathe.”

2026: THE YEAR OF FIGHTING CRIMINAL GANGS AND STREET ANIMALS
Reminding that they declared this year the year of fighting against the problem of organized crime gangs, drugs and stray animals, Minister Çiftçi said, “While we carried out 641 operations against 256 gangs in the first 4 months of 2025, we carried out 796 operations against 311 organized crime gangs in the same period of 2026. We will completely end the fight against the new generation gangs and the problems on the streets.”

18 TONS OF DRUGS WERE SEIZED
Comparing the data of the first 4 months of 2025 and 2026 in the fight against drugs, Minister Mustafa Çiftçi stated that the figures prove the relentless pursuit in the field. While 12.6 tons of drugs were seized in the same period last year, this figure increased to 18 tons this year, Minister Çiftçi said, “We are absolutely determined not to give any opportunity to poison traffickers. We increased the number of pill seizures from 45.2 million to 52 million this year. We will not leave our streets and children to poison traffickers.” Ciftci also addressed the citizens who fell into the drug trap and wanted to get out of it and emphasized the success of the treatment processes based on volunteerism and confidentiality in YEDAMs within the Green Crescent.

CYBER SCAMMERS’ NIGHTMARE: DOLUNAY PROJECT
Giving the good news of a new study on cyber fraudsters, Çiftçi stated that the “Full Moon Project”, carried out in coordination with the Ministry of Justice, will start a new era. Çiftçi said, “We will turn this project prepared by our gendarmerie and police into a presentation at the Presidency in the coming days. If it is implemented, we will wage a much more effective fight against cyber fraudsters.”

“CONFRONTATION” DIPLOMACY AGAINST TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS
Stating that they clearly put Türkiye’s red lines on the table during foreign trips and bilateral meetings, Minister Mustafa Çiftçi said, “We absolutely tell our counterparts from foreign countries about the members of FETO, DAESH and other terrorist organizations that they harbor in their countries. We express this to their faces; we state that they are still not extradited. We are making efforts to bring these people to justice.”

A TRIPLE BLOW TO ILLEGAL BETTING
Minister Çiftçi stated that as crime shifted to digital channels, “Cyber ​​Patrols” were put on alert in 81 provinces and shared the balance sheet of operations in the virtual world. Noting that the number of accounts detected as criminal elements in the first 4 months of 2026 has approached 100 thousand, Minister Çiftçi said, especially the blocking of illegal betting sites, with the words: “The number of illegal betting sites whose access was blocked has increased almost threefold, from 11 thousand 869 last year to 31 thousand this year. This shows that our police and gendarmerie do not give them the opportunity and opportunity in the virtual world.”

DAWN RAID ON NEW GENERATION CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS IN 8 PROVINCES
Minister Çiftçi conveyed the results of the study carried out under the coordination of Adana-based KOM Presidency. Stating that 302 suspects were targeted in the operation carried out simultaneously in 8 provinces, Minister Çiftçi gave a message of determination by saying, “As a result of this operation, 221 people were arrested and we rendered the local criminal organization there incapable of action. This struggle will continue without slowing down.” Also referring to the illegal betting operation carried out by the Gendarmerie in 7 provinces in Gaziantep, the Minister emphasized that these operations, in which criminal tools and money were seized, will make criminal organizations unable to do business.

Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Numan Kurtulmuş, accepted the representatives of young non-governmental organizations abroad in Türkiye within the scope of the “Diaspora Young Representatives Meeting” organized by the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB). During the reception held in the Turkish Grand National Assembly, Kurtulmuş gave the message: “The Turkish diaspora is developing in parallel with the increasing power of Türkiye. As long as Turkey is a major actor in its region, a country that makes a name for itself in the world, with a strong voice and an effective power, you will become much stronger wherever you are.” Stating that Türkiye is one of the important countries of the world and that its increasing power has become more visible in the world, Kurtulmuş continued as follows: “We are the children and descendants of a nation that has managed to experience multiculturalism over the centuries. I would like to express that you have the opportunity to tell about these beauties to your Western neighbors, friends and friends there who do not know about them and are far away from them, and to attract their hearts to this civilization. Turkey is the pioneer and the heart of the Islamic world and the ummah. It is about every inch of these lands.” “I advise you to keep your memories, your intentions, your mind alive. Be there, but always keep your mind and heart with Türkiye.”

The Ministry of Family and Social Services provides “Family Counseling” services to strengthen family communication. Expert psychologists, social workers and child development experts provide support on the following issues:
Ways to establish healthy dialogue with young people in adolescence. Ways to solve intergenerational conflict and communication problems.
Strategies to protect children from dangerous trends on the internet and cyberbullying.
Methods of resolving family conflicts.
Support for parents going through the divorce process to manage the process in a healthy way. Those who want to receive professional support can meet with experts at the nearest Social Service Center by making a “Family Counseling Application” via e-Government. Necessary information can also be obtained by calling Alo 183 Family, Women, Children and Disabled Social Support Line. The ministry, which creates a neighborhood-based social risk map, plans to provide family counseling services to every family. On the other hand, with the declaration of 2025 as the “Year of the Family”, the ministry implemented online psychological support and family counseling services in Adana, Izmir, Erzurum, Şanlıurfa, Ordu, Sivas and Sakarya, representing 7 geographical regions.

Istanbul Family Foundation and National Defense University (MSÜ) organized an important event discussing the importance of the family institution. Türkiye’s rapidly falling fertility rate was brought to the agenda at the “Family and Population in Defense of the Homeland” symposium. Speaking at the symposium, MSU Rector Prof. Dr. Erhan Afyoncu’s words, “Our chances of staying on these lands in 2100 are getting weaker” attracted attention. Experts emphasized that population decline will have not only social but also economic and strategic consequences. Stating that the number of children per woman in Türkiye has decreased to 1.48, Afyoncu reminded that the renewal level of the population is 2.1. Stating that Türkiye will be among the rapidly aging countries if the current situation continues, Afyoncu evaluated the population issue as a national security issue and said, “We are facing a greater danger than wars. If the population decrease continues at this rate, our chances of staying on these lands in 2100 are weakening.” Stating that the decrease in the young population will affect many areas, Afyoncu pointed out that preserving the family structure is of strategic importance.

ALGORITHMS ARE GROWING
Speaking at the program, Istanbul Family Foundation President Üner Karabıyık pointed out the importance of social policies that will strengthen family ties. Karabıyık said, “Today, children are not only raised by mothers and fathers, but mostly by algorithms. Screens, not mothers, have become breastfeeding the child. Televisions and screens market the family as a ‘crisis’, marriage as a ‘burden’ and privacy as ‘backwardness’. The great power that took to the streets on the night of July 15 was brewed in the family hearth. Now, the state, politics and civil society must stand shoulder to shoulder against the dark currents that want to prevent this hearth from smoking.” Istanbul Governor Davut Gül also announced that they took action to ease the burden of working mothers. Gül said, “We will build 300 nurseries and kindergartens under the coordination of the Mufti’s Office, Family and Social Services and the Directorate of National Education.”

47 PAPERS WERE PRESENTED
The PROGRAM deals with family and population issues not only under the heading of social policy; It also opened up discussion in terms of homeland defense, state capacity, social resilience and civilization continuity. At the symposium, 47 scientific papers on population policies and family structure were presented. Academics and experts shared solution suggestions for Türkiye’s demographic future.

Büşra Kırtaş (27): I wholeheartedly support our country’s development of the domestic and national defense industry. YILDIRIMHAN became our pride.
Tahir Akbaşoğlu (47): We are very proud. I liked YILDIRIMHAN the most. It was a great breakthrough for our country. Hopefully there will be better ones. May God not harm our country and our nation.
Muhammed Ali Balçok (20), TALAY Teknofest Competition Team student from Sakarya University of Applied Sciences: We come from Sakarya. Coming to the fair with our team was a great experience for us. It did justice to the progress we made.

FUTURE IS HERE
Mevlüt Acar (32): Türkiye’s future is in this field. YILDIRIMHAN missile is truly impressive.
Yeliz Ürkmez (57): We felt proud when we saw it. Tanks and guns are all very nice. I liked Kızılelma and YILDIRIMHAN the most.
Hasan Akın Tatarhan (19) from the TALAY team: It is truly an honor to see and experience the newly developed technologies of our country. We were amazed by Red Apple.

ALL ARE BEAUTIFUL
Metehan Köse (20) from TALAY team: Today, we observed the beautiful projects developed by our country at this fair. All the products are beautiful, I liked them all very much, but the vehicle I liked the most was TULPAR.

In line with the event where national technology was exhibited within the scope of SAHA 2026 defense, aviation and space industry fair, TCG Anadolu, Türkiye’s largest military ship and the world’s first UCAV ship, was opened to the visit of citizens in Sarayburnu. Citizens had the opportunity to witness the power of the Turkish Naval Forces by touring this huge ship produced with local and national resources.
Hanife Sude Daş from Tuzla: I came to see the ship closely. It is a proud event for us that this huge ship was built by Turkish engineers.

Barış Akardaş, who was touring the ship with his child: I am the ship captain, this is my second visit. This time I am coming with my son Ömer. I want my child to be an engineer and achieve such important work. That’s why I wanted him to see this technology and witness its successes at an early age. I go to technological fairs such as TEKNOFEST and I am very proud.

Marmara Anatolian Imam Hatip High School students touring TCG Anatolia: Our goal is to be like engineers who will develop such technologies.
4th grade student Mehmet Emin Titiz: I kissed the hand of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at a technology fair. When he asked me what I wanted to be, I said that I wanted to take part in BAYKAR and be the second Selçuk Bayraktar. I am proud to witness these technological developments. I also visited TCG Barbaros. I became extremely hopeful for my future.

12-year-old Deniz Negiz: It is a great honor to build such a ship with our technology. I’m so happy to be here.
Osman Turhan: The technological success of our country in recent years has made us very proud. It will shed light on the successes of the next generation. It is very nice and proud to witness such a technology and experience it live after many years. I believe that the next generation will take this technology even further.

DUTIES OF TCG ANADOLU
In addition to citizen visits, TCG Anadolu will promote Türkiye’s defense industry by visiting international ports such as England’s Southampton Port as of 2026. TCG Anadolu, which is famous as the guardian of the ‘Blue Homeland’ with its length of 232 meters, can be visited by citizens in Sarayburnu on 8-9 May.