Politics
Türkiye, Azerbaijan remember Caucasian Islamic Army liberation of Baku
It has been 108 years since Azerbaijan’s capital Baku was liberated from Bolshevik and Armenian gangs, but the Caucasian Islamic Army, led by a Turkish general, is still fondly remembered.
On Tuesday, people left flowers at a monument in Baku in memory of Nuri Pasha and the soldiers of the Caucasian Islamic Army. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan issued a message commemorating the pasha and his heroes as he celebrated the liberation of Baku, “the capital of our friend, brother Azerbaijan,” from enemy occupation.
Türkiye and Azerbaijan trace the roots of their relations to a deal between newly independent Azerbaijan and the Ottoman Empire in June 1918. The agreement allowed Azerbaijan to request assistance from the Ottoman government against the threat of occupation by Armenian and Bolshevik gangs. The Ottoman government’s Minister of War, Enver Pasha, tasked his brother Nuri Pasha, an accomplished officer who had previously worked to mobilize Libyans against Italian and British forces. Nuri Pasha formed the Caucasian Islamic Army from several military units, including infantry and artillery regiments from the Palestinian front of World War I. It merged with a 1,000-strong reinforcement from the Azerbaijani Corps. After 30 hours of clashes, the 12,000-strong army liberated Baku on Sept. 15, 1918.
The army stayed in Baku for two months and left the city after the Ottomans lost the war and were forced to sign an armistice that required their military forces to withdraw to the remaining borders of the Ottoman Empire. Still, the Caucasian Islamic Army is viewed today as a key factor in ensuring Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.
Speaking at a ceremony in Baku on the occasion, Turkish Ambassador Birol Akgün stated that the struggle the Islamic Army carried out together with its brothers and sisters in Azerbaijan was remembered with appreciation decades later. In remarks penned at the memorial dedicated to Nuri Pasha, Akgün recalled how the young commander became the architect of unshakable bonds between the two countries, “blossomed in the blood of martyrs.”
Akgün said the army’s victory was also an inspiration for the Shusha Declaration of 2021, signed by Erdoğan and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, which upgraded the alliance between the two countries, as well as for Karabakh’s liberation from Armenian occupation.
Speaking at a joint news conference with Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov in Baku on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the Ukraine-Russia conflict spreading into Black Sea threatened the safety of Turkish citizens, describing the situation as unacceptable.
Fidan said they discussed how the Russia-Ukraine conflict affected the broader region in his talks with Bayramov, noting that the civilian casualties and devastation were growing in the conflict that has continued for more than four years.
Underlining that the escalation of the war has also seriously affected the Black Sea basin, Fidan recalled that they had made major efforts since the beginning of the crisis to keep the Black Sea outside the conflict.
Fidan noted that they had succeeded in this objective until recently by meticulously implementing the Montreux Convention and launching the Black Sea Grain Initiative. “However, the increasing attacks on civilian vessels in the Black Sea in recent months have seriously undermined the security of life, property, navigation and the environment in the region. Unfortunately, Turkish and Azerbaijani sailors have also lost their lives in these attacks. The spread of the war into the Black Sea and the threat it poses to the lives of our citizens and the operations of our companies is not an acceptable situation,” he added.
Fidan also said they had issued the necessary warnings to the parties on the matter, adding that they believed common ground for an agreement could be found if the necessary political will was demonstrated and the parties acted in good faith.
Fidan said they had recently stepped up their efforts to reach an agreement and were also taking the necessary initiatives to bring the war to an end.
Referring to President Erdoğan’s oft-repeated statement that “even the worst peace is better than war itself,” Fidan said: “As Türkiye, we will continue to make every effort for peace.”
He said that following talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul, the parties had come very close to signing a peace agreement but had failed to finalize it. He said Türkiye had made efforts to bring the two sides together in the country on numerous occasions, both publicly and behind closed doors. Underlining that the continuation of the war was harming not only the region but also the global economy, Fidan recalled that U.S. President Donald Trump had cited the Russia-Ukraine war as the source of rising diesel prices.
Fidan noted that the parties had been asked to reach an understanding on not targeting energy infrastructure and to declare a moratorium, adding that the United Nations, the U.S., Türkiye and several other countries were doing everything they could on the issue.
Fidan said efforts focused particularly on the Black Sea were continuing, adding: “We are holding talks with the parties on this issue, and we have proposals. We have received responses from the parties. We are also working to reconcile these responses and bring them to a point where an understanding can be built.”
Fidan reiterated that the war had transformed over the past year from a war of attrition into a war of destruction, saying: “There is now nowhere that is not being targeted. Except for the deliberate targeting of population centers, virtually all commercial sites, infrastructure and superstructure are now being targeted. We are also seeing civilian casualties steadily increase. As a nation that knows war and warfare, we unfortunately said from the very beginning where this picture would lead.”
Drawing attention to the fact that the situation would intensify geographically, methodologically and in terms of targets, Fidan said: “It needs to stop to prevent further expansion and greater disasters. I think that after four and a half years of war, the parties have also psychologically and intellectually come closer to this point. This is precisely where mediators like us need to find the right magic formulas, words and methods to persuade the parties to reach an agreement.”
Fidan warned that otherwise energy prices, food security and the environment would face greater risks and the danger of the war spreading would increase. “From time to time, there are statements not only in the Black Sea but also in other European countries about the possibility of the war spreading there. God forbid, we do not even want to think about this, let alone talk about it. The geographical expansion of the war is the last thing we want to see,” he said.
Also speaking on the U.S.-Iran war, Fidan said safe and free passage through the Strait of Hormuz should be ensured, and mutual attacks in the Gulf countries should stop.
For his part, Bayramov said Azerbaijan and Türkiye were working in coordination on new projects with great potential for the coming decades. Noting that cooperation between the two countries was expanding into new areas, Bayramov said: “There are new projects with a very broad outlook and great potential for the coming decades. Azerbaijan and Türkiye are working on these projects in very close coordination.” Bayramov said projects in the field of alternative energy were particularly prominent among these initiatives, adding that they had discussed transporting green energy produced in Azerbaijan to Europe via the Black Sea and Türkiye’s participation in the project.
He said projects were also on the agenda to lay a new power cable through Azerbaijan, Georgia, Türkiye and Bulgaria, as well as a new power cable connecting Nakhchivan to Türkiye. “With the implementation of these projects, new routes with great potential will emerge for delivering alternative energy to not only the markets of Azerbaijan and Türkiye, with the participation of both countries in the green energy sector, but also to the European market through Türkiye.”
Bayramov recalled that the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) summit would be held in Türkiye next month and said he and Fidan had held productive talks as part of preparations for the summit. Noting that the OTS was of particular importance to Azerbaijan and Türkiye, Bayramov said the organization had a family structure that brought brotherly countries together. “Strengthening solidarity within the OTS and further improving coordination have always been of particular importance to Azerbaijan and Türkiye,” Bayramov said.
Expressing Azerbaijan’s full support for Türkiye, which will host COP31, as the host of COP29, Bayramov said the Azerbaijani delegation that took part in COP29 and has since been active in climate diplomacy would participate in COP31 in the most active manner. Bayramov said the Zangezur Corridor was of particular importance as a new route of the Middle Corridor connecting Azerbaijan to Türkiye and, through Türkiye, Europe to Central Asia and Asia. He said construction of new transportation infrastructure in mainland Azerbaijan was progressing rapidly. Bayramov said road construction toward the Armenian border was about 95% complete, while railway construction was about 75% complete, adding that both projects were expected to be completed in the first half of 2027. Noting that the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic has about 190 kilometers of railway connections, Bayramov said the Soviet-era railway line had been almost unused for more than 30 years and that reconstruction work in the area had begun. Bayramov said the approximately 42-kilometer section of the Zangezur Corridor located in Armenian territory constituted the missing link of the route, adding that talks concerning this section were being conducted between the U.S. and Armenia.
Bayramov said completion of the project would establish a direct connection between mainland Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan through Armenia, adding that access via Nakhchivan to Türkiye and from there to the transportation link between Europe and Central Asia would be strengthened. Bayramov said this would create a new and important transportation route stretching from Europe to Central Asia via Türkiye and Azerbaijan.
Noting that Azerbaijan had identified relations with African countries as one of its priority areas, Bayramov said the number of trade and economic missions to the continent had been increased, and the number of projects carried out had grown.
Bayramov said Türkiye was one of the countries with the world’s broadest diplomatic and economic networks in Africa, adding: “Africa has great potential. It is possible to implement trilateral projects together in this area. Joint projects can be carried out between Azerbaijan, Türkiye and any African country.”
The Republican People’s Party (CHP) was officially divided in July, but the fight is not over for the two opposing camps of Türkiye’s oldest party. The CHP’s decision to withdraw from an appeal against a court verdict that ended former Chair Özgür Özel’s tenure has sparked another debate among supporters of current Chair Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and the New Party (YP), founded in July by Özel.
Özel filed an appeal against a case stemming from allegations of vote buying in a 2023 intraparty election that propelled him to power in the party. The same case cost him the chair in May and reinstated his predecessor, Kılıçdaroğlu. Things appeared to be returning to normal after a bitter row between Özel and Kılıçdaroğlu, but the case triggered another debate after the Kılıçdaroğlu administration decided to withdraw the appeal to prevent delays in what it called the congress calendar. Kılıçdaroğlu has pledged to hold a new election in the party after his reinstatement.
The case is now before the Court of Cassation. Özel’s YP, meanwhile, argues that the withdrawal would not affect the case, as the former chair is still a party to it even though he has severed all ties with the CHP.
CHP spokesperson Müslim Sarı said earlier that Özel and others in the YP had legally lost their status as parties to the case after they established the YP.
YP Parliamentary Group Deputy Chair Murat Emir, however, says the “absolute nullity” verdict that ended Özel’s role as chair can be overturned if the top court reviews the case. He accused the CHP of withdrawing the appeal for fear that Özel’s rights would be reinstated.
The CHP administration announced a new regular congress calendar on Sept. 10. Under the calendar, following the submission of membership lists to the Office of the Chief Public Prosecutor at the Court of Cassation, the lists will be posted for public review on Oct. 28.
The congress will be a test for Kılıçdaroğlu’s second tenure. The former chair has been quiet about his ambitions to be elected again since his reinstatement, but this week, he was openly challenged for the first time. Aytuğ Atıcı, a former lawmaker, announced that he would run for party chairperson and held talks with Kılıçdaroğlu about his intention. Atıcı told journalists after the meeting that he did not “seek permission to run” from Kılıçdaroğlu, who did not say much about his intention other than wishing him success.
Kılıçdaroğlu, on the other hand, aspires to restore the party to its heyday as the main opposition.
Turkish media outlets reported that the veteran politician will hit the road in October, seeking to reach out to the party’s dwindling support base after the party split in July.
When Kılıçdaroğlu began his ambitious campaign to “cleanse” the CHP of corruption allegedly linked to Özel’s associates, including mayors arrested on bribery charges, he was branded a “traitor” by the Özel camp, which also claimed that Kılıçdaroğlu would not even go out for fear of being booed. Kılıçdaroğlu made a few field trips over the summer and managed to attract crowds, but it may take more than that to keep the CHP intact after the YP grabbed the coveted title of “main opposition” by transferring most of the CHP’s lawmakers.
Apart from a few instances, Kılıçdaroğlu has not faced a dire reaction, and in some cases, the events he attended drew large crowds. Encouraged by this, the party launched a timetable for a congress and started appointing new figures to local branches.
In October, Kılıçdaroğlu is expected to visit Istanbul and the southeastern provinces of Diyarbakır and Şırnak. Like Özel, he is expected to focus on economic issues during his revival campaign, a favorite subject of Özel in his efforts to bring the opposition to power. In predominantly Kurdish Diyarbakır, Kılıçdaroğlu is expected to hold talks with locals on “terror-free Türkiye,” a government-backed initiative to end the PKK’s campaign of terrorism, which has long exploited the Kurdish community under the guise of fighting for so-called Kurdish self-rule in the southeast.
Representatives of the Western Thracian Turkish community condemned Monday an attack on the Çınar Mosque in Xanthi (Iskeçe), in Greece’s Western Thrace, after insulting messages targeting Islam and sacred values were written on an exterior wall of the mosque.
The elected Mufti’s Office of Komotini (Gümülcine) condemned the incident, saying the messages disregarded “moral and humanitarian values.”
The office said negative rhetoric targeting the religious and cultural values of the Muslim Turkish minority in Western Thrace has increased recently, warning that such acts undermine social peace and a culture of coexistence.
Xanthi lawmaker Burhan Baran also condemned the attack, saying disrespect toward places of worship was unacceptable and calling on authorities to identify those responsible and take necessary legal action.
Fellow Xanthi lawmaker Hüseyin Zeybek said the incident should not be regarded as ordinary graffiti, describing it as a provocation targeting social peace and coexistence.
Türkiye’s Consul General in Komotini Aykut Ünal visited the mosque following the incident and expressed solidarity with members of the Turkish community. He also voiced hope that those responsible would be identified and brought to justice.
The offensive messages targeting Islam and Allah were written by an unidentified person or persons on a wall near the mosque’s entrance on Sunday, Sept. 13.
The Western Thrace region, located near Greece’s northeastern border with Türkiye, is home to a substantial, centuries-old Muslim Turkish minority numbering around 150,000.
The rights of Western Thracian Turks are guaranteed under the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne. But over the decades, the situation has seriously deteriorated for the community, which is also economically one of the poorest in Greece.
The Western Thracian Turkish community often complains of double standards and continuing inequalities in the country, namely socioeconomic discrimination, lack of equal access to quality education for children of minorities, and political rights.
An Israeli business newspaper has highlighted Türkiye’s expanding regional influence under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, describing Ankara as an increasingly consequential actor in the Middle East and a growing rival to Israel.
In an analysis, Israeli financial daily Calcalist said on Sunday that Erdoğan had significantly expanded Türkiye’s influence in Washington and across the Arab world.
“Erdoğan has made Türkiye a player that is difficult to ignore in the Middle East and, for Israel, a rival with growing influence in the areas surrounding it,” the newspaper said.
The report underlined that relations between Türkiye and Israel have continued to deteriorate, pointing to a near-total breakdown in economic, commercial and aviation ties. It cited Turkish Trade Ministry data showing that direct trade with Israel has remained at zero since May 2024.
Calcalist also said tensions between Ankara and Tel Aviv have increasingly extended beyond the Gaza Strip into Syria.
Türkiye has emerged as one of the key backers of Syria following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, the report said, noting Ankara’s security support for Damascus and efforts to deepen economic integration between the two neighbors.
Türkiye has set a target of increasing bilateral trade with Syria to $5 billion within two years.
Meanwhile, speaking during a visit to Syria on Sunday, Fidan said Israeli policies represented the “biggest obstacle” to positive progress in the fight against terrorism and argued that Israeli attacks were damaging joint counterterrorism efforts.
“Israel is trying to destabilize Syria through its attacks,” Fidan stressed, accusing Israel of supporting terrorist groups such as Daesh. “We know that Israel has a hand in the instability here, and they do not deny it.”
The minister reiterated that Türkiye wanted to see a Syria that had fully established its sovereignty and could contribute to stability for its neighbors.
He also highlighted rapidly expanding ties between Ankara and Damascus, saying Türkiye-Syria relations had gained significant momentum over the past two years.
The analysis also pointed to Ankara’s growing diplomatic role in Washington and the Arab world. It cited Türkiye’s participation as a founding member of the Gaza Peace Council at the invitation of U.S. President Donald Trump and its defense cooperation with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
Moreover, Calcalist also highlighted strengthening ties between Ankara and Washington, noting Trump’s participation in the NATO summit held in the Turkish capital on July 7-8.
U.S. President Donald Trump has maintained close ties with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, frequently highlighting his personal relationship with the Turkish leader and praising his leadership.
The relationship was on display during the NATO summit in Ankara, where Trump thanked Erdoğan for hosting what he described as a “very successful” gathering of the alliance.
Trump called Erdoğan “a great leader” and a longtime friend, while praising his strong leadership and Türkiye’s growing role within NATO.
The report further said the developments have reinforced Türkiye’s regional standing while sharpening its rivalry with Israel amid continued disagreements over Gaza and Syria.
Israeli violence continues
Israel continued attacks in the Gaza Strip and neighboring Lebanon despite cease-fire arrangements, with Lebanese authorities reporting artillery fire and other military activity in the country’s south on Monday.
According to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency, Israeli troops set fire to several homes in the town of Tayr Harfa in the Bint Jbeil district of Nabatieh province.
Israel launched an intensive air campaign against Lebanon on March 2 and occupied several areas in the country’s south. The Lebanese government said more than 1 million people were displaced during the fighting.
A cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon took effect on April 17 and was later extended several times. The Lebanese Health Ministry has said at least 4,383 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since March 2.
Meanwhile, Israeli attacks continued in the Gaza Strip, where the Palestinian Health Ministry said the death toll since Oct. 7, 2023, had risen to 73,786.
The ministry said two Palestinians were killed and 25 others wounded in Israeli attacks over the past 24 hours.
It said 1,372 people have been killed since a cease-fire took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, while 831 bodies have been recovered from rubble and 4,659 people have been wounded during the same period.
According to the ministry, a total of 174,771 people have been wounded in Gaza since the start of Israel’s attacks on Oct. 7, 2023.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to Syria’s unity, stability and prosperity after a two-day visit to Damascus, where talks also focused on President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s planned visit to the Syrian capital.
In a statement on X, Fidan said he traveled to Syria at a critical time for the region and was received by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on the first day of his visit. He also held talks with Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and Interior Minister Anas Khattab.
During the meetings, the two sides reaffirmed their shared determination to preserve Syria’s unity and territorial integrity and help the Syrian people achieve the peace and prosperity they deserve, Fidan said.
The talks also addressed Erdoğan’s planned visit to Damascus, which will be his first since the Assad regime collapsed in 2024.
On the second day, Fidan met with members of Syria’s Turkmen community, whom he described as an integral part of the country.
He praised Syrian Turkmens for their role on the front lines of the struggle against the Baath regime and said they were continuing to make significant contributions to building a stable and prosperous Syria.
Fidan also visited several sites reflecting the two countries’ shared historical and cultural heritage, including the tombs of Ibn Arabi, Mawlana Khalid al-Baghdadi and Salahuddin Ayyubi, as well as the Turkish Air Martyrs’ Cemetery and the Suleymaniye Complex.
Reflecting on the two-day visit, Fidan said he saw the streets of Damascus becoming increasingly peaceful and vibrant.
He welcomed the Syrian people’s efforts to build, through their own will, a secure, stable and prosperous country that embraces all segments of society.
“We will continue to stand by Syria throughout this process,” Fidan said.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Monday rejected statements by Greek authorities concerning the period when Greece sought to occupy Anatolia, calling the claims “baseless” and urging Greek officials to act with “seriousness and common sense.”
Ankara also recalled that Greece carried out mass killings and destruction against civilians in Anatolia during the period, saying Athens acknowledged those acts and its obligation to pay reparations under Article 59 of the Treaty of Lausanne.
Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry last week released archival documents and photographs that show atrocities committed by Greek forces in Anatolia between 1919 and 1922.
The ministry shared the material on its social media accounts, saying the records document actions carried out by Greek forces during their occupation of Anatolia and subsequent withdrawal.
“During the occupation of Anatolia and while retreating, Greek forces pursued a systematic policy of destruction, as acknowledged by the Treaty of Lausanne and international reports,” the ministry stated.
The ministry said the archival records included evidence from a village near Bursa, describing it as “a painful example of the massacre carried out against Turkish civilians.”
Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias had earlier Monday commented on the wartime period in Anatolia in a post on social media platform X.
In his remarks, Dendias stated the contributions of Greeks who migrated from Anatolia to Greece and offered his account of events during the Turkish War of Independence, prompting a response from Ankara.
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