Politics
Türkiye refutes claims of mass release of convicted PKK terrorists
Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç on Wednesday firmly rejected claims circulating in the media that some 700 convicted members of the PKK would be released following the terrorist group’s decision to disband, calling the numbers “absurd” and “untrue.”
Speaking to the press following a ceremony in Ankara, Tunç addressed allegations regarding the release of individuals linked to the PKK following a ruling by the Constitutional Court.
“Some outlandish figures are being named, that 200 people have been released, and 700 people will be released. These are untrue,” Tunç said. “This is a matter that was carried out within the framework of our Constitutional Court’s decision, in terms of the balance of crime and punishment and criminal justice.”
The controversy stems from the Constitutional Court’s annulment of a provision under Articles 220 and 314 of the Turkish Penal Code, which allowed individuals who were not formal members of terrorist organizations to be punished both for their actions and as if they were members.
Tunç explained that the Turkish Parliament had not made any legislative adjustments in response to the court’s ruling, which had led to complications in ongoing judicial processes, particularly for individuals involved in protests or demonstrations.
“When a person participated in an illegal demonstration, they received a penalty under Law No. 2911. However, they were subject to separate punishment, as if they were members of the organization that organized the illegal demonstration,” Tunç said.
The Constitutional Court, he noted, found this dual punishment excessive for a single act and annulled the provision based on the principle of proportionality in criminal justice.
Tunç emphasized that affected individuals would still be held accountable for the crimes they committed, but could no longer be additionally charged as members of the organization unless they were proven to be such.
“The figures reported to the press are also incorrect,” he said. “Presenting it as ‘200 people, 700 people were released because they were members of the PKK’ leads to misunderstandings.”
Terror-free Türkiye
Tunç also addressed questions about the broader terror-free Türkiye initiative, stating that the disarmament and dissolution of the PKK remain critical goals for the government.
“The process regarding the terrorist organization’s disarmament is being monitored,” Tunç said. “This is being followed in full coordination with the relevant institutions of our state.”
The terrorist group, which led a bloody campaign of violence that killed at least 40,000 people over four decades, began laying down arms earlier this month.
Thirty members of the group burned their weapons at a ceremony in northern Iraq, and more are expected to abandon arms in the coming months.
Turkish intelligence monitors the process while Parliament will form a committee to weigh next steps in the initiative, from the fate of disarmed PKK members to their sentencing.
Tunç confirmed that efforts are underway to establish a commission in Parliament to support the process, with inter-party meetings and dialogue ongoing.
Tunç stressed that the government is conducting the process transparently and with sensitivity, ensuring that no steps are taken that would offend the families of martyrs or unsettle the public.
Meetings with the PKK-affiliated Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) at the Justice Ministry have been part of this process, Tunç confirmed. Issues raised, including those related to judicial practices, sick convicts and decisions by administrative boards, are being reviewed.
“Actions regarding these issues can already be taken within the framework of our legislation, and we are all closely monitoring the process,” he added.
Media outlets reported that full disarmament of the PKK may take up to five months, and the committee is expected to outline a road map for the reintegration of PKK members into society, possible leniency in sentencing of the group’s members and confidence-building measures for the integration of former members of the PKK not involved in acts of terrorism.
Reports say the initiative will also extend to PKK convicts and elderly, ill inmates convicted of membership in the terrorist group, who may benefit from leniency in their prison terms, pointing out existing laws for such convicts. But this will likely require the removal of the PKK’s status as a national threat to Türkiye’s existence, something that the National Security Council, chaired by the president, has the final say.
Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi met with his Syrian counterpart, Anas Khattab, in Damascus on Tuesday for talks focused on security cooperation, public order and strengthening Syria’s institutional capacity.
The meeting at Tishreen Palace addressed cooperation between Türkiye and Syria in areas including security, policing, migration management and emergency response, according to officials.
Çiftçi and Khattab discussed the possible installation of electronic traffic monitoring systems, the expansion of license plate recognition and fingerprint identification technologies, improvements to passport and identity card production processes, and cooperation on security equipment.
The two ministers also reviewed possible cooperation on establishing a 112 emergency call and ambulance network, sharing experience in counter-narcotics efforts and training Syrian police officers.
The Turkish delegation included Gendarmerie General Commander Gen. Ali Çardakçı, National Police Chief and Governor Ali Fidan, Migration Management President Muhammed Selami Yazıcı and Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) President Ali Hamza Pehlivan.
The Syrian side was represented by Deputy Interior Minister Abdulqadir Tahan, Deputy Minister for Administrative and Financial Affairs Basim al-Mansour, Deputy Human Resources Minister Hussam Fattouh, Migration and Passport Department Director Osman Hilal and other officials.
The two ministries signed memorandums of understanding (MoU) after the completion of delegation-level talks.
Following his meeting with Khattab, Çiftçi was expected to hold talks with Emergency and Disaster Management Minister Raed al-Saleh and later be received by President Ahmad al-Sharaa.
The visit comes as part of Ankara-Damascus agenda to intensify contacts following the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime in 2024 and the formation of Syria’s new administration under al-Sharaa. The new Syrian leadership has sought to revive state institutions, restore basic services and expand cooperation with regional and international partners after years of civil war.
Türkiye has been among the countries most actively engaged with Damascus during the transition. Turkish officials have repeatedly said that Syria’s stability, territorial integrity and reconstruction are essential for the wider region, arguing that a stronger Syria would contribute to regional security and prosperity.
Ankara backed the Syrian opposition during the civil war and hosted millions of Syrians who fled the conflict. Since the end of Assad’s rule, Türkiye has signaled its readiness to support Syria’s recovery through institutional cooperation, technical assistance and training in several fields.
In recent months, officials from the two countries have held talks across a range of areas, including transportation, education, trade, migration, border security, disaster management and public services. The contacts are part of broader efforts to normalize working ties between the two neighbors and support Syria’s postwar reconstruction.
For Türkiye, cooperation with Syria also carries major domestic and regional significance. Ankara shares a long border with Syria and has long stressed the need to prevent instability and terrorist groups from threatening border security. Turkish officials have also said that improved conditions inside Syria are key to enabling the safe, voluntary and dignified return of Syrian refugees.
Türkiye’s highest appeals court has upheld multiple life sentences handed to three brothers convicted for their roles in the failed July 15, 2016 coup attempt, finalizing one of the country’s most prominent cases involving members of the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) orchestrating the coup.
As the Sabah newspaper reported, the Court of Cassation approved convictions against former military officers Hasan, Hüseyin and Furkan Aslanbay, ruling that the sentences imposed by lower courts should stand.
According to court rulings, the three brothers served in different branches of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and participated in separate operations carried out by coup plotters on the night of July 15.
Former First Lt. Hasan Aslanbay was assigned to the Search and Rescue (MAK) unit based in Izmir and took part in the team that traveled to the southwestern resort of Marmaris, where President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had been staying before leaving shortly before the attack. Prosecutors said Hasan Aslanbay served as a machine gunner aboard a Sikorsky helicopter used during the operation.
He was convicted of violating the constitution, attempting to assassinate the president, and two counts of intentional killing. The court sentenced him to four aggravated life prison terms and upheld an additional 24-year prison sentence for offenses including unlawful deprivation of liberty and causing injury.
Former First Lt. Hüseyin Aslanbay was convicted of leading a team that raided the Moda Sea Club in Istanbul, where then-Air Force Commander Abidin Ünal and several senior military commanders were attending an event on the night of the coup attempt.
According to the court, Hüseyin Aslanbay was found guilty of unlawfully detaining the commanders and received an aggravated life sentence. He was also sentenced to a total of 120 years in prison on multiple counts of unlawful deprivation of liberty.
Former noncommissioned officer Furkan Aslanbay served in the Special Forces Command and was convicted for participating in the operation led by Brig. Gen. Semih Terzi, who was fatally shot by Sgt. Maj. Ömer Halisdemir after arriving at the command headquarters in Ankara during the coup attempt.
The court sentenced Furkan Aslanbay to aggravated life imprisonment for intentional killing and life imprisonment for attempting to overthrow the constitutional order. The Court of Cassation upheld both sentences.
Turkish authorities have previously said five brothers from the Aslanbay family had been placed in military schools and strategic positions through FETÖ’s alleged infiltration of state institutions. While Hasan, Hüseyin and Furkan were convicted over their roles in the coup attempt, two other brothers, Rıdvan and Enes Aslanbay, were dismissed from the military after the failed putsch.
The terrorist group orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, in Türkiye, in which 252 people were killed and 2,734 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.
On the other hand, Turkish police detained seven people, including five suspects wanted or under investigation for alleged links to the FETÖ, while they were allegedly attempting to cross the country’s western border illegally, authorities said Monday.
The suspects were stopped during a joint operation by intelligence, counterterrorism and anti-migrant smuggling units on the Keşan-İpsala highway in Edirne province near the Greek border.
Among those referred to court were a dismissed specialist from the Student Selection and Placement Center (ÖSYM), a former chief auditor at the Court of Accounts, a dismissed gendarmerie officer and former teachers, authorities said.
Following questioning by prosecutors and their appearance before a court, six suspects were arrested pending trial, while judicial proceedings continued for the remaining suspect.
Türkiye and Kyrgyzstan will hold the seventh meeting of their Joint Strategic Planning Group in Ankara on Wednesday, with talks expected to focus on political ties, trade, energy, defense and regional developments.
The meeting will be co-chaired by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev, according to Turkish Foreign Ministry sources.
During one-on-one and delegation-level talks, Fidan is expected to underline satisfaction with the current level of political relations and high-level contacts between the two countries.
Connectivity and logistics infrastructure, including the Trans-Caspian East-West Middle Corridor, will also be on the agenda. The ministers are expected to exchange views on regional and international issues, including developments related to Ukraine, Iran and Palestine.
At the end of the meeting, the two sides are expected to adopt a joint declaration and sign a cooperation program between their foreign ministries for 2026-2027.
Türkiye was the first country to recognize Kyrgyzstan’s independence on Dec. 16, 1991. The two countries established diplomatic relations on Jan. 29, 1992, and opened embassies in Ankara and Bishkek the same year. Türkiye was also the first country to open an embassy in Bishkek.
Relations were elevated from strategic partnership to comprehensive strategic partnership during a High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council meeting co-chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov in Bishkek on Nov. 5, 2024. The two sides signed 19 agreements in areas including defense industry, economy, agriculture, health and trade.
Türkiye is Kyrgyzstan’s seventh-largest trade partner. Bilateral trade volume rose 6.3% in 2025 from the previous year to $1.645 billion.
Turkish direct investments in Kyrgyzstan reached $1.6 billion between 1995 and 2025, making Türkiye the country’s third-largest investor after China and Russia. Around 350 Turkish companies operate in Kyrgyzstan in sectors including mining, finance, tourism and construction.
Education is also a key area of cooperation. Since 1992, 4,676 Kyrgyz students have received scholarships to study in Türkiye.
Turkish authorities said Monday that 134 members of the PKK terrorist group have surrendered to security forces since the beginning of the year through government outreach and persuasion efforts.
The Interior Ministry noted the surrenders resulted from operations coordinated by the intelligence units of the Gendarmerie General Command and the National Police, together with the Police Department’s Counterterrorism Division.
According to the ministry, those who surrendered include two members listed in the group’s gray category and one listed in the yellow category, classifications used by Turkish authorities to rank the wanted.
The ministry said 115 of the surrendered suspects have been arrested pending trial, while 14 were released under judicial control measures. Judicial proceedings are continuing for the remaining five individuals.
In a statement, the Interior Ministry said security forces would continue operations against terrorist groups targeting Türkiye’s security and national unity.
Türkiye, the United States and the European Union have designated the PKK as a terrorist group. The PKK has waged an armed insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984, a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people.
The PKK announced in October 2025 that it had started withdrawing from Türkiye as part of the terror-free Türkiye initiative, months after it began abandoning arms in northern Iraq.
The terror-free initiative launched by a government ally in 2024 has entered into a new phase: the withdrawal. In a ceremony in Iraq, the group made a statement about the process, with some members, reportedly those who left Türkiye for the withdrawal, in attendance.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Monday that Euro-Atlantic security was at a “historic turning point,” calling on NATO allies to strengthen solidarity and warning that mounting conflicts, terrorism and irregular migration require a new approach to collective security.
Speaking at a luncheon at the NATO Parliamentary Summit in Istanbul, Erdoğan said the gathering carried added significance ahead of the NATO leaders’ summit scheduled for July 7-8 in Ankara.
“The Euro-Atlantic security architecture is at a historic crossroads,” Erdoğan said. “Wars, crises, terrorism and irregular migration, particularly along NATO’s eastern and southeastern borders, require us to reshape our understanding of security.”
He said traditional assumptions about global politics and security were no longer sufficient in a world marked by growing instability and uncertainty.
Erdoğan argued that recent conflicts, particularly in Gaza and Lebanon, had exposed the limitations of existing international institutions while reinforcing the importance of NATO’s deterrence and unity.
“In this environment, preserving NATO’s deterrence and strengthening solidarity among allies have become even more critical,” he noted.
The Turkish president said Türkiye, which shares more than 1,800 kilometers of land borders with conflict regions, has become one of the alliance’s key contributors through its military capabilities, defense industry and participation in NATO missions.
He said Ankara has accumulated extensive experience in managing regional crises and would continue sharing that expertise with allies during the upcoming NATO summit.
Erdoğan also said expectations for the Ankara summit were high both among NATO members and the wider international community, expressing hope that the meeting would produce outcomes that reinforce alliance solidarity while respecting the national security concerns of individual allies.
Türkiye will host the leaders’ summit of the alliance for the second time in more than two decades. Heads of state and top figures from member countries will be in Ankara for the summit.
Highlighting Türkiye’s role within NATO, Erdoğan said the country remains among the alliance’s top five contributors to NATO missions and operations and is increasing defense spending in line with commitments made at last week’s NATO summit in The Hague.
He urged European allies to include Türkiye in emerging European defense and security initiatives, saying the country’s defense capabilities should not be excluded for what he described as narrow political considerations.
“We need a security and defense network stretching from Texas to Ankara without reservations,” Erdoğan underlined.
He added that the NATO Defense Industry Forum, to be held alongside next week’s summit in Ankara, would showcase Türkiye’s rapidly expanding defense industry while exploring ways to deepen defense cooperation among allies.
Pursuing global peace
Regional security issues are also expected to feature prominently during the summit, Erdoğan said, including Russia’s war in Ukraine, developments involving Iran, and the situation in the Middle East.
On the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, Erdoğan reiterated Türkiye’s longstanding support for a two-state solution.
He said lasting peace in the Middle East would not be possible unless Israel’s occupation ended and an independent, sovereign Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, was established.
Erdoğan also welcomed the recent ceasefire between the United States and Iran, saying Türkiye would continue working with countries including Pakistan and Qatar to help transform the truce into a lasting settlement.
He warned against actions that could undermine the agreement, referring to recent attacks in Lebanon, and called on NATO parliamentarians to support efforts aimed at preserving regional stability.
On Ukraine, Erdoğan said Türkiye would continue supporting diplomatic efforts to end the war.
“As an ally that can speak to both sides and has earned the trust of both parties through a fair approach, we will continue to contribute actively to peace efforts,” he said.
The NATO leaders’ summit in Ankara is expected to focus on collective defense, defense industry cooperation, regional security challenges and implementation of new allied defense spending commitments.
Türkiye on Monday strongly condemned Israel’s latest strikes in southern Syria, saying the attacks violated Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, endangered civilians and undermined efforts to restore stability, as both the Foreign Ministry and Communications Director Burhanettin Duran called on the international community to take action.
The Foreign Ministry denounced Israel’s recent attacks on the Syrian provinces of Quneitra and Daraa, describing them as a clear violation of Syria’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as international law and the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement.
The ministry said the strikes endangered the security of civilians and their property while further worsening humanitarian conditions in the region. It warned that the attacks threatened Syria’s progress since December 2024 and jeopardized broader regional stability.
Calling on the international community to act, the ministry urged governments to fulfill their responsibilities to stop what it described as Israel’s unlawful attacks targeting Syria’s stability.
Separately, Communications Director Duran also condemned Israel’s latest attacks, saying they targeted Syria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and stability.
Duran said the strikes constituted a clear violation of international law and existing agreements, endangered civilian lives and sabotaged efforts to achieve lasting peace and stability in the region.
He stressed that the international community must assume responsibility and take immediate steps against what he described as Israel’s lawless actions threatening regional security.
Duran added that under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s leadership, Türkiye would continue to regard the protection of Syria’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity as a fundamental prerequisite for regional peace and security.
We do not allow the politics of discord – Last Minute News
Cooperation protocol between Türkiye and Syria in the field of disaster and emergency management
“WHO Ministerial Conference” to be held in Istanbul will start tomorrow
We do not allow the politics of discord – Last Minute News
Cooperation protocol between Türkiye and Syria in the field of disaster and emergency management
“WHO Ministerial Conference” to be held in Istanbul will start tomorrow
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