Politics
Syria-YPG deal comes into force amid killings, advances
Syria’s government has given the U.S.-backed YPG terrorist group four days to submit a detailed plan for full integration into state institutions, marking a decisive step toward restoring central authority over the country’s northeast, the Syrian presidency announced.
In a statement issued late Tuesday, the deadline was part of a broader effort to achieve what it described as a “united and indivisible Syria” through dialogue and a peaceful transition, while warning that military options would remain on the table if negotiations fail.
The announcement follows a series of talks between Damascus and the YPG over the future of Hassakeh province and other areas long outside government control. Syrian officials said preliminary agreements had been reached on key administrative and security issues, but stressed that implementation now depends on concrete steps by the group.
4 days to implementation
Under the framework outlined by the presidency, the YPG is required within four days to finalize consultations and present a comprehensive road map for the practical integration of territories, armed units and civilian institutions into the Syrian state.
If an agreement is concluded, Syrian army units would not enter the centers of Hassakeh and Qamishli, instead positioning themselves on the outskirts of the cities. The timeline and technical details for the peaceful integration of both cities would be addressed at a later stage, the statement said.
The government also pledged that regular army forces would not enter Kurdish villages, where security would be maintained solely by locally recruited personnel, without the presence of other armed groups.
As part of the deal, YPG ringleader Ferhat Abdi Şahin is expected to submit nominations for a deputy defense minister and a governor for Hassakeh province, along with lists of representatives for the national parliament and personnel to be absorbed into state institutions.
The statement confirmed that all YPG forces and security formations would be integrated into Syria’s Defense and Interior Ministries, while YPG-affiliated civilian bodies would be incorporated into the government’s administrative structure.
Damascus also reiterated its commitment to implementing Decree No. 13, which addresses Kurdish linguistic, cultural and citizenship rights, framing the measure as part of a broader national partnership aimed at safeguarding the rights of all components of Syrian society.
The announcement came after a meeting in Damascus between President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Şahin earlier this week failed to produce a final agreement. Syrian officials have accused the YPG of resisting demands to hand over control of Deir el-Zour and Raqqa, appoint a government-backed governor in Hassakeh and transfer security responsibilities to the Defense Ministry.
Seven civilians were killed when the terrorist group violated a cease-fire with the Syrian government and carried out a drone attack in northeastern Hassakeh province, local sources said Tuesday.
In the attack, many others were injured, including women and children, the sources also added.
Syrian army enters al-Hol camp
Tensions have also risen over the handling of detention camps and prisons holding suspected Daesh members and their families. Syrian military forces on Wednesday entered the country’s al-Hol camp that houses around 24,000 people, including 15,000 Syrians and about 6,300 foreign women and children of 42 nationalities. The government said it is fully prepared to assume responsibility for all Daesh detention facilities and the al-Hol camp in Hassakeh province, pledging to manage them in line with international standards to prevent instability and protect civilians.
Moreover, Syria’s special envoy Tom Barrack is expected to meet Şahin in the coming days to press for completion of the integration process, according to officials familiar with the discussions. They said Damascus has made clear that failure to comply would leave military action as the only remaining option.
The agreement framework took effect at 8 p.m. local time on Tuesday, Syrian authorities said, describing it as a transitional model to be applied until a final cease-fire and full integration are formally enacted.
Ankara’s diplomatic attempts
On the other hand, Türkiye has also intensified the diplomatic engagement with the U.S. amid developments Ankara views as critical to its national security, Turkish officials said.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Defense Minister Yaşar Güler held separate phone calls with their U.S. counterparts to discuss recent developments in Syria and broader regional defense and security issues.
According to Turkish sources, Güler spoke over the phone with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, with the talks focusing on the latest situation in Syria as well as regional defense and security matters. Fidan, meanwhile, held a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during which the two discussed recent developments in Syria and the U.S. peace council initiative, officials said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Fidan received the U.S. envoy for Syria and the ambassador to Ankara, Tom Barrack. Commenting on the agreement reached between Damascus and the YPG forces over Hassakeh province, Barrack said the YPG’s original role had largely come to an end.
“The YPG’s primary purpose as the main on-the-ground force against Daesh has largely ended,” Barrack said.
He added that the conditions that had led to cooperation with the YPG no longer existed, saying: “At that time, there was no functioning central Syrian state with which a partnership could be established. The Assad regime was weakened, contested, and, due to its alliances with Iran and Russia, was not a viable partner against Daesh. Today, the situation has fundamentally changed.”
Turkish officials have emphasized that developments in Syria, particularly in the country’s north, have direct implications for Türkiye’s security, and that Ankara remains in close coordination with Washington on regional stability and counterterrorism efforts.
Meanwhile in Europe, supporters of the terrorist group staged violent protests across several countries, including Switzerland, the U.K., France and Germany, after the Syrian army continued to take control of Hassakeh.
Demonstrators carrying symbols of the terrorist group threw stones and other objects at police, while others targeted police with fireworks.
In Berlin, it was reported that shortly after midnight, a group of around 40 people attacked Türkiye’s Embassy and threw paint at the iron fences.
Turkish authorities detained 93 tax inspectors in raids across 11 provinces as part of an investigation into the Gülenist Terrorist Group (FETÖ), prosecutors said Friday.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said the operation was carried out under the direction of its Terror Crimes Investigation Bureau, with police counterterrorism units conducting coordinated raids targeting suspects accused of involvement in the group’s activities.
According to a statement from prosecutors, investigators determined that the suspects used pay phones and a prepaid card-based communication system allegedly employed by the organization as a covert method of communication.
Authorities said statements from informants indicated that the suspects had taken part in the group’s activities. The investigation targeted 94 tax inspectors, including both active personnel within the Treasury and Finance Ministry and others previously dismissed from public service.
Police detained 93 suspects during the operation, while one individual was found to be abroad, the statement said.
The terrorist group orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in Türkiye, in which 252 people were killed and 2,734 were wounded. Ankara also accuses FETÖ of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.
Türkiye has targeted its active members and sleeper cells nonstop, and its influence has been much reduced since 2016. However, the group maintains a vast network, including infiltrators suspected to be still operating within Turkish institutions.
FETÖ backers in army ranks and civil institutions have disguised their loyalty, as operations and investigations have indicated since the 2016 coup attempt. FETÖ is also implicated in a string of cases related to its alleged plots to imprison its critics, money laundering, fraud and forgery.
The terrorist group faces operations almost daily as investigators still try to unravel their massive network of infiltrators everywhere. In 2024 alone, police apprehended hundreds of FETÖ suspects across the country, including fugitives on western borders trying to flee to Europe.
Those apprehended were mostly low-ranking members of the group, as high-ranking members managed to flee the country before and immediately after the coup attempt.
Still, security forces occasionally capture key figures of the group who managed to remain in hiding, such as Cihat Yıldız. Yıldız, accused of helping the escape of Adil Öksüz, the civilian mastermind of the 2016 coup attempt, was captured during a police check in August in Istanbul.
Turkish security sources also say the group is in turmoil after the death of its leader, Fetullah Gülen, in October 2024.
Parliament has approved a comprehensive amendment to the Highway Traffic Law, significantly increasing penalties for dangerous driving, in a move officials say is aimed at cutting road deaths by half.
The legislation, which enters into force upon publication in the Official Gazette, introduces tougher fines, longer license suspensions and, in some cases, prison sentences for serious violations.
Former Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, who oversaw the preparation of the draft, said the goal is to reduce the annual number of traffic fatalities, currently around 6,000, to below 3,000. He noted that despite a sharp rise in inspections last year, authorities were only able to prevent 197 deaths.
In 2024, Türkiye recorded 385,000 injury-related traffic accidents, and inspections in residential areas will be further increased, Yerlikaya said.
Penalties for speeding, red lights
Under the new rules, drivers exceeding urban speed limits face immediate license suspensions of at least one month. In residential zones, those driving 46-55 kph (29-34 mph) over the limit will lose their licenses for 30 days, 56-65 kph over for 60 days, and 66 kph or more over for 90 days.
In school and hospital zones, where the speed limit is 30 kph, drivers clocked at 76 kph will face a 30-day suspension; at 86 kph, 60 days; and at 96 kph or more, 90 days.
Running a red light six times in one year will result in permanent revocation of a driver’s license. Drivers who cause accidents by running red lights will face a 60-day suspension and must undergo a psychotechnical evaluation before regaining their licenses.
Leaving the scene of a traffic accident involving injury or death without police permission will carry a prison sentence of one to three years.
Heavy fines, vehicle impoundments
The law imposes a TL 140,000 (approximately $4,375) fine on drivers who alter license plates to make them unreadable, along with a 30-day vehicle impoundment. Failing to yield to vehicles with the right of way carries a TL 15,000 fine.
Drivers who do not give way to ambulances, fire trucks or rescue vehicles face a TL 46,000 fine and a 30-day license suspension. Using a mobile phone while driving carries a TL 5,000 fine, rising to TL 10,000 for repeat offenses; a third violation will result in a one-month suspension.
Manufacturing, importing or possessing devices that detect speed enforcement systems is also banned. Producers face fines of TL 370,000, while vehicle owners found with such devices face TL 185,000 penalties.
Aggressive driving, including persistently tailgating or exiting a vehicle to confront another driver, will be punished with fines of up to TL 180,000, a 60-day license revocation and possible vehicle impoundment. In certain cases, reinstatement will require a psychotechnical report.
Drivers who organize races face a TL 46,000 fine and a two-year license revocation.
Focus on motorcycles
The legislation also addresses risks posed by motorcycles, which authorities say are involved in two out of every three at-fault accidents. Türkiye’s motorcycle fleet is expected to exceed 7 million this year, accounting for one in five vehicles on the road.
Officials said the sweeping reforms reflect a determination to protect public safety and strengthen enforcement against behavior that endangers lives on the country’s roads.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday criticized the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), whose lawmakers tried to derail the oath-taking ceremony of the newly appointed justice minister on Wednesday.
He said the CHP continues to cling to its past fascism and resort to banditry, referring to lawmakers engaging in fisticuffs.
Akın Gürlek, who succeeded Yılmaz Tunç as justice minister, arrived at Parliament on Wednesday to be formally sworn in, but CHP lawmakers suddenly leapt to the pulpit where he would recite the oath, effectively stopping him. Lawmakers from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) rushed to Gürlek’s side, and a brawl erupted between Mahmut Tanal of the CHP and Osman Gökçek of the AK Party. Other lawmakers traded blows, too, while AK Party deputies surrounded Gürlek, shielding him from CHP members hurling objects at him.
Gökçek later told reporters that Tanal had approached to assault Gürlek, and he intervened to stop him. The CHP earlier claimed that they were simply opposed to Gürlek being sworn in as justice minister from his previous post as chief prosecutor of Istanbul. The party also admitted that their opposition had more to do with the assignment of Gürlek, who was behind several corruption investigations against CHP-run municipalities.
Addressing a meeting of provincial chairs of his AK Party in Ankara, Erdoğan said they witnessed “the fascist, arrogant politics of the CHP once again” on Wednesday. “They demonstrated all kinds of banditry to stop our ministers from taking the oaths,” he said, referring to Gürlek as well as newly appointed Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi. “They occupied the pulpit of the nation.”
“But you cannot stop what will happen, Mr. Özgür,” Erdoğan said in reference to CHP Chair Özgür Özel, to the applause of AK Party members. “You cannot stop us. The ministers exercised their constitutional right and took oaths. What’s done is done. Why were you so disturbed?” Erdoğan said.
“But it is difficult for them to give up their fascist mindset. Parliament is not a place where you can start fights whenever convenient. I wonder whether they are at Parliament to defend the rights of people or terrorize people,” he said.
Erdoğan said the CHP’s politics were “ugly” as evidenced by the latest incident. “You should not humiliate yourself more. I condemn this attack that undermines people’s trust in politics and harms the dignity of Parliament,” he told the audience on Thursday, which included Gürlek and Çiftçi. Both ministers greeted AK Party members at the meeting and thanked Erdoğan for their appointment.
Gürlek has been targeted by several prominent members of the CHP, including Özel. Istanbul’s former mayor, Ekrem Imamoğlu, who was arrested for corruption last March, was also being tried for publicly threatening Gürlek and his family after the latter was investigated by Gürlek’s office.
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli also had scathing remarks against the CHP over the scuffle at Parliament. In a written statement, the head of the government ally said the CHP would not be excused for its anti-democratic and fascist actions.
“This intolerant attitude has nothing to do with democracy and politics. The CHP’s depressing political attitude targets the Turkish state and its administration, and they are obviously hostile to the national will. We fully support our new ministers,” he said.
National Intelligence Organization (MIT) chief Ibrahim Kalın met with Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah in Tripoli, the Libyan government said in a statement on Thursday.
The meeting addressed issues of mutual interest, as well as recent local and regional developments.
The two sides emphasized the importance of strengthening coordinated international efforts to support Libya’s political process, it said.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to continued consultation and coordination to promote stability in the region.
In August, Kalın held a rare meeting with putschist Gen. Khalifa Haftar in Libya’s Benghazi.
Libya has been divided since the NATO-backed uprising in 2011, with rival administrations in the east and west vying for power. Türkiye remains a key supporter of the Tripoli-based government while simultaneously expanding contacts with eastern authorities.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a phone call with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al Sudani on Thursday, discussing bilateral relations as well as regional and global developments, according to a statement made by the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications.
The two leaders reviewed steps to further enhance cooperation between Türkiye and Iraq, with a particular focus on trade and broader economic engagement.
Erdoğan underscored that Ankara would continue taking concrete steps to deepen ties across multiple sectors, stressing that stronger cooperation serves the mutual interests of both neighboring countries.
The president also emphasized the importance of intensifying collaboration in the fight against terrorism, noting that closer coordination would benefit both Türkiye and Iraq and contribute to regional stability.
The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining dialogue and strengthening the longstanding partnership between the two countries.
Germany is hosting NATO’s largest exercise of the year, Steadfast Dart 26, with Türkiye emerging as the biggest contributor among participating allies.
The drills, which began in January and will run through March, bring together approximately 10,000 troops from 10 European countries. Türkiye deployed around 2,000 personnel, traveling some 6,450 kilometers (4,010 miles) to take part in the exercise.
Gen. Ingo Gerhartz, commander of NATO’s Joint Force Command in the Netherlands and director of the exercise, praised the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) for what he described as the most significant contribution to this year’s maneuvers.
“Türkiye’s contribution cannot be emphasized enough,” Gerhartz told BBC Türkçe, highlighting the deployment of the amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu, which docked at the German port of Emden with its accompanying task force and ground units. He added that the Turkish military made “by far the largest contribution” to Steadfast Dart 26.
Gerhartz also underscored the broader meaning of the drill, saying, “The fact that these countries are sending troops to Central Europe is a strong indication of unity within the alliance and that every inch of NATO territory will be defended if necessary.” He described the exercise as a clear demonstration that allied forces are ready to move rapidly and operate together across land, sea and air domains.
As part of its NATO commitments, Türkiye assumed command of the Amphibious Task Force and the Landing Force Command within the Allied Reaction Force (ARF) on July 1, 2025. In addition to TCG Anadolu, Türkiye sent the logistics support ship TCG Derya and the frigates TCG Istanbul and TCG Oruçreis to participate in the naval components of the drill.
Elements of the 66th Mechanized Infantry Brigade also joined the exercise, with images of Turkish soldiers posing alongside Turkish-flagged armored vehicles in Germany widely shared.
Steadfast Dart 26 focuses on the rapid deployment capabilities of the ARF, a multinational force established in 2024 to enhance deterrence and ensure swift reinforcement of NATO territory in times of crisis.
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