Politics
Turkish Parliament approves in-kind grant agreement with Somalia
The Turkish Parliament approved an in-kind grant support agreement with Somalia on Thursday, as lawmakers highlighted Ankara’s expanding economic, security and development partnership with the Horn of Africa nation.
During debates at the Turkish Parliament, lawmakers from across the political spectrum discussed Türkiye’s growing role in Somalia, where Ankara has become a major investor and strategic partner over the past decade.
Cemalettin Kani Torun, a Bursa deputy from the New Path Party, said Turkish exports to Somalia had climbed to $273 million, while direct investments by Turkish companies exceeded $100 million.
“These figures did not come about spontaneously,” Torun said. “These are the fruits of a long-term and multi-actor commitment.”
He rejected accusations that Türkiye’s involvement in Somalia amounted to “guardianship” or colonialism, saying Ankara’s engagement was based on mutual benefit and “win-win” policies.
Torun also stressed the growing geopolitical importance of the Horn of Africa, arguing that Türkiye’s activities in Somalia, from trade to energy exploration, contribute to regional stability and counter outside interference.
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) lawmaker Kamil Aydın said instability and piracy around Somalia and the Gulf of Aden had long threatened international shipping routes and maritime trade.
He said Türkiye had taken an active role under international agreements to support peace, security and economic development in Somalia.
“With the mutual trust and cooperation gained, Türkiye has succeeded in taking very important bilateral, regional and global positive steps with Somalia,” Aydın said.
Opposition lawmakers voiced criticism over broader aspects of Ankara’s foreign policy and foreign aid spending. Good Party (IP) lawmaker Ayyüce Türkeş questioned Türkiye’s extensive aid commitments abroad amid domestic economic challenges.
Meanwhile, ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Deputy Group Chair Leyla Şahin Usta defended Türkiye’s Africa policy, describing it as rooted in “friendship and brotherhood.”
“Türkiye is in Africa to build and repair,” Usta said, adding that cooperation with Somalia had helped strengthen local ownership and development across the continent.
The bill was approved following parliamentary discussions. Somalia’s ambassador to Ankara, Fathudin Ali Mohamed, also attended the parliamentary session.
Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Qatar, Egypt, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Jordan on Thursday issued a joint statement condemning Israel’s violations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, urging the international community to take a firm stance against measures that violate the site’s historical and legal status.
The foreign ministers of the Muslim nations warned that escalating provocations threaten regional stability and undermine prospects for a just and lasting peace.
In a joint statement, the ministers denounced repeated incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound led by far-right Israeli ministers and illegal settlers under the protection of Israeli security forces. They also condemned the raising of the Israeli flag inside the compound, the installation of two tents by Israeli police and other provocative actions at the site, saying they constitute clear violations of international law, relevant U.N. resolutions and the historical and legal status quo in occupied East Jerusalem.
The ministers further condemned incitement, calls for raids and acts of violence by Israeli extremist ministers and groups, warning that such actions fuel hatred and extremism while obstructing efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace based on a two-state solution.
The statement also criticized restrictions on access to Jerusalem’s Old City and its places of worship, saying discriminatory measures imposed on Muslim and Christian worshippers violate international humanitarian law and amount to unlawful attempts to alter the city’s historical and legal status.
The ministers reaffirmed that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied East Jerusalem or its Muslim and Christian holy sites and condemned systematic policies aimed at changing the city’s historical, legal and demographic character.
They reiterated their rejection of any attempt to alter the historical and legal status of Jerusalem’s holy sites, while underscoring the special role of the Hashemite Custodianship in safeguarding them.
The ministers also reaffirmed that the entire Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is an Islamic place of worship exclusively for Muslims and that the Jerusalem Awqaf and Al-Aqsa Affairs Department, operating under Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, remains the sole legal authority responsible for administering the site and regulating access.
Calling on Israel to immediately lift restrictions on access to Jerusalem’s Old City, the ministers urged an end to measures preventing Muslim worshippers from reaching Al-Aqsa Mosque.
They also called on the international community to adopt a firm position and press Israel to end violations against Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem and respect the sanctity and historical status of those sites.
Türkiye and Syria signed an agreement Thursday paving the way for cultural centers to operate in each other’s countries, expanding cultural cooperation through language education and cultural exchange initiatives.
Nuh Yılmaz, Türkiye’s ambassador to Damascus, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that relations between Türkiye and Syria are developing rapidly in line with the political will expressed by the two countries’ presidents, adding that the necessary legal framework is also being established.
He called the agreement an important step toward placing bilateral ties on an institutional and legal footing.
Turkiye’s Yunus Emre cultural centers – named after a famed 14th-century poet – operated in the capital Damascus and Aleppo before the war but suspended their activities after the conflict began in 2011.
Yılmaz said Syria has a sizable Turkish-speaking population, including local ethnic Turkmen communities and Syrians who lived in Türkiye for many years.
“These centers will play an important role in preserving and developing existing language skills and bringing them to a more academic level,” he said, noting strong demand among Syrians seeking to learn or improve their Turkish.
The Yunus Emre Institute will also organize activities aimed at rediscovering the two countries’ shared cultural heritage, including projects in literature, photography, cinema, painting and history, Yılmaz said.
He added that the cultural programs would strengthen ties between the two peoples and highlight the historic and cultural relationship between Türkiye and Syria.
The agreement was signed by Yılmaz and Qutayba Kadish, head of the International Cooperation Department at the Syrian Foreign Ministry.
Embassy officials and Furkan Köroğlu, acting coordinator of the Yunus Emre Institute’s Damascus Cultural Center, also attended the ceremony.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan issued a written statement on Thursday on the 107th anniversary of the Erzurum Congress, a key episode in Türkiye’s fight for independence after World War I.
Erdoğan said the congress was one of the defining turning points that united the Turkish nation around a common ideal, with the determination to achieve liberation and set out its vision for the future.
“This profound awareness continues to inspire us today and gives us strength as we move toward the future. Without compromising our unity and solidarity, we continue to work with the same determination to make our country even stronger. Today, I once again commemorate with the utmost respect the members of the congress, who declared that ‘the homeland within the national borders is an indivisible whole,’ categorically rejected any mandate or foreign protection, and gave their full support to the national forces. On the anniversary of the Erzurum Congress, I respectfully and gratefully remember all the heroes of our War of Independence, especially Gazi Mustafa Kemal, and extend my heartfelt greetings to all my fellow citizens,” he said, referring to Atatürk, founder of the Republic of Türkiye.
The Erzurum Congress convened on July 23, 1919, at a time when imperial powers were attempting to partition Ottoman territories in the aftermath of World War I.
The congress was convened in the titular eastern province in response to the perceived Armenian threat to Erzurum, as well as provinces of Sivas, Van, Bitlis, Diyarbakır, and Elazığ, and amid reports of plans to establish an Armenian state in eastern Türkiye. It also sought to counter Greek claims to the northern provinces of Trabzon, Rize, Gümüşhane, Ordu and Giresun. Although regional in scope, the congress adopted decisions that concerned the entire nation.
The historic gathering marked an important stage in the National Struggle campaign that culminated in the War of Independence, with its declaration that “Within the national borders, the homeland is an indivisible whole and cannot be partitioned.”
In his closing speech of the Congress, Atatürk highlighted the congress’s historical significance, saying: “History will undoubtedly record this congress as a rare and great achievement.” He would later say that the congress laid the foundations of the Republic of Türkiye, which was declared on Oct. 29, 1923.
The Erzurum Congress, which continued for two weeks, adopted a series of decisions that shaped the course of the National Struggle. The resolutions included the declaration that the participating provinces were inseparable from one another and from the Ottoman nation, bound together as brothers, and that the historical, ethnic, and religious rights of the country’s predominantly Muslim population within the borders at the end of World War I must be respected.
Athens is reinforcing its defenses while hoping its allies in the United States will prevent neighboring Türkiye from strengthening its military, pursuing a key defense deal with Israel while opposing the sale of fighter jets to Türkiye.
Turkish-Greek relations have been on the right track for the past couple of years, but tensions remain palpable, especially in light of Athens’ escalating defense spending. This is tied to what Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis described as an “open threat of war” from Türkiye during the NATO summit in Ankara earlier this month.
Weeks after his remarks, Greece’s Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defense (KYSEA) convened on Thursday to give final approval for the purchase of a multilayered air defense system from Israel worth up to 3.5 billion euros ($4 billion), along with several types of drones, two sources told Reuters. KYSEA gave its initial approval earlier this year and is expected to finalize the procurement contracts, an official familiar with the deal told Reuters.
Greece wants to build a multilayered anti-ballistic, anti-aircraft and anti-drone system called the “Achilles Shield.” The system will be built around Israeli radars and missiles manufactured by Rafael and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). The Greek government has said it plans to spend about 28 billion euros by 2036 to modernize its armed forces, including purchasing up to 40 new F-35 fighter jets from the United States and frigates from France and Italy.
Greece spends nearly 3.5% of its gross domestic product on defense, a higher proportion than many of its NATO allies. Reflecting their close economic and diplomatic ties, Greece and Israel operate an air training center in Greece, conduct annual joint military exercises, and cooperate on anti-drone systems and cybersecurity. Last year, Greece approved the purchase of 36 Israeli-made rocket artillery systems for about 650 million euros. “KYSEA will also approve the purchase of drones from the U.S. and Israel,” the official said. A second official confirmed the details regarding the Israeli air defense system and the drone purchases. Greece currently relies on U.S.-made Patriot systems and Russian-made S-300 systems to protect its airspace.
Thousands of miles away, Athens is hoping one NATO ally will help it counter another. The International Coordinating Committee-Justice for Cyprus (PSEKA), a Greek American grassroots organization, is campaigning to block the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Türkiye.
U.S. President Donald Trump expressed clear support for the sale during his visit to Türkiye for the NATO summit earlier this month. Standing alongside President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the joint news conference in Ankara, Trump said the U.S. was prepared to lift sanctions imposed under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) and would consider Türkiye’s return to the F-35 fighter jet program. The sanctions were imposed after Türkiye purchased the Russian-made S-400 air defense system, prompting Washington to remove Ankara from the multinational F-35 program in 2019.
Earlier this week, PSEKA announced that it had sent letters to Congress warning of what it described as the “clear and present danger” posed by the sale of F-35s to Türkiye. The organization argued that such a sale would increase the vulnerability of its allies, Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration, to Türkiye’s threats.
Türkiye and Greece have pursued a rapprochement after decades of hostility, but longstanding disputes continue to complicate relations. Chief among them is the disagreement over maritime boundaries in the Aegean Sea. Greece’s attempts to expand its territorial waters led Türkiye to declare a casus belli, or cause for war, in the 1990s, and that declaration remains in force.
In an interview with Greece’s ERT earlier this month, Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis said the casus belli had been a “huge burden” on bilateral relations and that it was “long overdue” for Türkiye to revoke the declaration it made in the 1990s.
The two countries, which came close to war over the Aegean during that decade, remain vigilant. While Türkiye has focused on developing its domestic defense industry, Greece has continued to rely on foreign partners to strengthen its military capabilities. Pursuing a doctrine centered on maintaining an effective and powerful navy, Türkiye has spent the past two decades building an indigenous defense industry capable of operating in blue-water environments, shifting regional geopolitical dynamics in its favor. Its navy plays a critical role in securing maritime trade routes in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea while supporting regional stability.
Türkiye plans to begin flight training for its first Eurofighter Typhoon pilots in the United Kingdom next month as part of its procurement program for the multirole fighter aircraft, the Defense Ministry said Thursday.
The ministry said pilot personnel are scheduled to travel to the U.K. in August 2026, with flight training expected to begin shortly after their arrival. Under the agreement signed with the United Kingdom, both pilots and maintenance personnel will continue to be sent for training over the coming years.
On March 25, Türkiye and the U.K. signed a technical, logistical agreement for the maintenance and operation of Eurofighter Typhoon jets, the Turkish ministry announced.
The deal was finalized in London during a visit between Defense Minister Yaşar Güler and British Defense Secretary John Healey.
The agreement focuses on technical and logistical support for the aircraft under the Eurofighter Typhoon Project, said a statement by the ministry. During their talks in the capital, the two defense chiefs also discussed broader cooperation.
Officials confirmed that a separate contract covering the procurement of aircraft, equipment and munitions linked to the program had already been signed last October.
The latest agreement is intended to ensure the long-term maintenance and operational readiness of the jets. Both sides said they were committed to further strengthening defense collaboration in the coming years. Last year, Türkiye signed a deal with the U.K. to buy 20 Eurofighter Typhoon jets.
Britain, a leading partner in the Eurofighter program, has been Türkiye’s most vocal supporter, and the agreement followed months of negotiations between the two capitals after Türkiye overcame a German veto on the sale in 2024.
Türkiye’s interest in the Typhoon was first reported in 2022, as Ankara grew frustrated with prolonged negotiations over the acquisition of F-16 fighter jets from the U.S.
The announcement came during the Defense Ministry’s weekly press briefing, where ministry spokesperson Rear Adm. Zeki Aktürk outlined recent developments in defense procurement and military operations.
Aktürk said Türkiye continues efforts to strengthen the armed forces through domestically developed defense systems. He said the Turkish Land Forces had completed inspection and acceptance procedures for an unspecified number of Fırtına-2 self-propelled howitzers, which have now entered military service.
He also said state-owned defense manufacturer Machinery and Chemical Industry Inc. (MKE) delivered various weapons and ammunition to the armed forces during the past week.
Counterterrorism, border security
Providing an update on security operations, Aktürk said six members of the PKK terrorist group surrendered over the past week, while Turkish forces continued clearing caves, shelters, mines and improvised explosive devices in operational areas.
On border security, the ministry said Turkish authorities detained 466 people attempting to cross the country’s borders illegally during the past week, including one suspected member of a terrorist organization.
Since the beginning of the year, authorities have apprehended 6,485 people attempting illegal crossings, while an additional 42,776 individuals have been prevented from crossing the borders, including 946 stopped during the past week, according to ministry figures.
Former leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Özgür Özel instructed lawmakers siding with him to convene for a technical meeting ahead of the establishment of his new party. Özel did not attend the discussions but was scheduled to hold a separate meeting with lawmakers on Thursday night.
Özel and the lawmakers announced their resignations from the party earlier this week, but the resignations were not yet formal. They are expected to submit their resignation letters to the new administration led by Özel’s predecessor, Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, on Friday. Kılıçdaroğlu was reinstated to his post after a court annulled Özel’s chairmanship last May, citing irregularities in the 2023 intra-party vote. Özel has also held talks with members of the CHP’s former party assembly who were either removed or left the body after Kılıçdaroğlu returned to office.
The Özel camp aims for the new party to replace the CHP as the main opposition, which requires holding at least 68 seats in Parliament. Unconfirmed reports say Özel’s new party has the backing of 80 lawmakers currently in the CHP. Figures close to Kılıçdaroğlu, however, say the number of lawmakers supporting Özel will not exceed half of the current parliamentary group and that they do not expect additional members to join later.
Meanwhile, Kılıçdaroğlu’s CHP criticized Özel’s plan to establish a new party. The party’s spokesperson, Müslim Sarı, told reporters on Wednesday that the new party being established by “Manisa lawmaker” Özgür Özel was no different from the CHP in terms of its policies, pointing to Özel’s recent speech in which he said the new party would adhere to the same principles as the CHP. “If you are going down the same path, why do you need a new party?” he said. Sarı added that they had been open to holding a new party congress, as Özel had previously requested, and that Özel and his allies had already been invited to continue their “political struggle” within the CHP. “It seems like they are more interested in having a seat in a new party than advancing their policies,” he said.
Özel’s new party will initially be ineligible for state aid, which is available to political parties that secure a certain number of votes. Parties are required to cross the electoral threshold in the first election they contest to become eligible for state funding. Devlet Bahçeli, leader of government ally the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), told journalists on Thursday that the state aid allocated to the CHP in 2026 should be proportionately diverted to the new party, noting that the Treasury paid more than TL 1.8 billion ($38 million) to the main opposition party this year.
“It is the ethical way,” he added.
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