Politics
Türkiye welcomes PKK disarmament with flags, good wishes
Flags adorned buildings across Türkiye, from the northwest to the southeast, as the PKK terrorist group took the first step to end its decades-old campaign of violence on Friday. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Saturday hailed the first group of PKK members burning down their weapons in Iraq and called upon the public to hang Turkish flags on their homes and businesses to symbolize the beginning of a new era.
Public buildings were draped with flags on Sunday, just two days before another historic anniversary: Türkiye’s resistance against a 2016 coup attempt.
The beginning of the disarmament is warmly welcomed by the nation that suffered for years from terrorist attacks that have killed thousands since the 1980s. But it had a particularly special meaning for two groups of people: parents of the youth brainwashed to join the PKK and families of people killed in terror attacks.
Bedriye Uslu is among them. Uslu is part of “Diyarbakır Mothers,” a group of families who began a sit-in protest in the eponymous Turkish city in 2019 to protest the PKK’s recruitment of Kurdish youth. Hours after the first videos of PKK terrorists burning their weapons in Iraq emerged, Uslu spoke to Anadolu Agency (AA) and expressed her approval for the terror-free Türkiye initiative that led to the disarmament. She is among the mothers from 62 families staging the sit-in and joined them in the hope of a reunion with her son Mahmut, who left to join the PKK 14 years ago.
She thanked President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and government ally Devlet Bahçeli, who informally launched the initiative last year when he called on the PKK’s jailed leader, Abdullah Öcalan, to convince his group to lay down arms.
“What happened in Iraq on Friday gave us hope. We hope all our children (who joined the PKK) will abandon their arms and burn them. I pray to Allah to see that day, to reunite with my son. We hope the tears of parents will end and everyone will be reunited with their children,” she said.
Nihat Aydın, who has taken part in the sit-in since it began for a reunion with his son Mehmet, said it was “symbolic” seeing 30 PKK members abandon arms, and it boosted their hope. “I hope my son will join them too,” he said.
Müslüme Topçu, whose soldier son Ahmet Topçu was killed in Operation Peace Spring against the PKK’s Syrian wing, echoed wishes for an end to terrorism.
Topçu told Sabah newspaper that her son was among the “thousands of sons who fell victim to terrorism.”
“We hope it will end now. We have high hopes for a terror-free Türkiye. May no other mother suffer from the loss of their children,” she said.
The PKK’s disarmament is also good news for Diyarbakır, a major city in the southeast with a large Kurdish population. Diyarbakır has been a hot spot of PKK terrorism, including the notorious “trench incidents” when the group’s members launched street attacks and dug “trenches” to confront the military between 2015 and 2016.
The province is known as the birthplace of the PKK, which recruited many to its ranks from Diyarbakır. Locals now hope that social peace will prevail in the province and that the economy will thrive.
Uğur Altınar, a shopkeeper in Diyarbakır’s historic Sur district, said they hoped more tourists would visit. Although at the heart of the southeastern region and boasting a rich history, Diyarbakır was shunned as a major tourism destination in the past due to heightened PKK activity, while other provinces in the region reaped the benefits of tourism.
“We will have more business, but more importantly, future generations will live in peace. I hope it will be good for the entire Türkiye,” Altınar told Ihlas News Agency (IHA) on Sunday.
Ali Baran Çelik, another business owner, said people who had second thoughts about Diyarbakır will “certainly visit the city now.” “It gives an opportunity for people from different parts of Türkiye to mingle with each other,” he said.
Associate professor Vahap Coşkun from Dicle University in Diyarbakır says Türkiye went through a critical threshold after the first group of PKK members laid down arms.
“This is a point of no return. We are in a new era where weapons are silenced, clashes have ended, and people can talk about their democratic demands. It will be good for everyone in Türkiye,” he said.
Mahmut Şimşek, head of the Diyarbakır-based NGO Social Consensus, said it has been more than 100 years since “people were united again,” referring to the War of Independence, in which Turks and Kurds fought together against invading forces.
“We need patience for the process to continue. It is too early to say that everything’s over after the first PKK group started abandoning arms. People should be well informed about this historic day. Regardless, they are witnessing the beauty of it. It has been more than 40 years, and for years, people cried over the graves of loved ones. It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure social consensus and peace; every politician, every opinion leader has a responsibility to use this historic opportunity,” Şimşek told IHA.
Şahismail Bedirhanoğlu, who leads a chamber of industrialists and businesspeople in Diyarbakır, says an era was over and a new one began after Friday’s disarmament ceremony.
“We are excited that weapons and violence are out of the equation now. Those two things plagued the region, especially its economy. The future will belong to democratic politics and both Türkiye and the region will have a great momentum in terms of economy, democratization and political reforms. I hope the developments will be a blessing for our country,” he said.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Friday that Türkiye will remain actively engaged in efforts to resolve tensions between the United States and Iran, while warning that Israeli provocations risk undermining the diplomatic process.
Speaking at a joint news conference with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, Fidan stressed that ensuring uninterrupted and permanent freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz is essential.
“As Türkiye, we will continue to contribute to the ongoing negotiation process between the United States and Iran. Israel must not be allowed to sabotage these talks, and the international community should remain highly vigilant on this matter,” he said.
He urged the international community to remain vigilant against any Israeli actions that could jeopardize regional stability.
Fidan said Türkiye and Canada have grown closer through increasingly aligned positions on major regional and global issues, welcoming the U.S.-Iran cease-fire agreement and describing its extension to Lebanon as a positive development. He said Ankara hopes the truce will pave the way for lasting regional stability through diplomacy.
Reiterating Ankara’s support for diplomacy, he said Türkiye wants the conflict to end as soon as possible through dialogue and on the basis of international law.
Regarding the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara next month, Fidan said preparations are continuing at full pace, describing the gathering as a “historic” meeting.
In response to a question about the status of Turkish earthquake survivors staying in Canada on the TS2023 visa, Fidan said the two sides have discussed all visa-related matters in their meeting.
For her part, Anand said Canada is discussing nuclear energy cooperation and working toward a free trade agreement with Türkiye.
She added that conversations on possible nuclear energy cooperation are “in early days.”
In a later statement, Fidan said his two-day visit to Ottawa and Toronto, the first official bilateral visit by a Turkish foreign minister to Canada, produced productive talks that underscored the growing momentum in bilateral ties.
Thanking his Canadian counterpart Anita Anand for her hospitality, Fidan said the two countries are advancing toward a stronger partnership in line with the vision set by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
He said the sides reviewed ongoing cooperation in trade, investment, transportation and the defense industry, while working to finalize a Türkiye-Canada Free Trade Agreement as soon as possible.
Fidan also identified civilian nuclear energy as a promising area for cooperation, noting that the two ministers visited the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station near Toronto to discuss potential joint initiatives. During the visit, Fidan also met with Turkish business leaders and representatives of the Turkish and Muslim communities in Canada, reaffirming Ankara’s commitment to elevating relations with its NATO ally to a strategic level through continued high-level engagement.
Slovenia and Türkiye expressed interest in preparing a new action plan to further strengthen their strategic partnership and expand economic cooperation during talks on the sidelines of the Dubrovnik Forum, the Slovenian Foreign Ministry said.
According to a statement posted on the ministry’s X account on Friday, Slovenian State Secretary Tone Kajzer met Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Mehmet Kemal Bozay, with the two officials also exchanging views on current foreign policy issues.
“Dialogue, cooperation and diplomacy remain the only path to the peaceful resolution of conflicts,” Kajzer said following the meeting.
Türkiye and Slovenia established a strategic partnership in 2011 after then-Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor visited Türkiye and signed a bilateral agreement with Turkish leaders.
Many sectors, such as energy, logistics, health, construction, telecommunications, security, energy, oil and gas, transportation, steel construction, logistics and storage, aluminum and metal, defense and aviation, have great potential for further development of cooperation between the two countries.
The partnership has since supported closer political dialogue, economic cooperation and people-to-people ties between the two countries.
The framework was renewed through a 2024-2026 action plan, and both governments marked the partnership’s 15th anniversary in March 2026 with joint statements reaffirming their commitment to peace, stability and shared prosperity.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with his Canadian counterpart Anita Anand and visited the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station in Toronto on Thursday as part of an official visit to Canada, Turkish officials said.
Fidan arrived in Canada for a series of official meetings aimed at strengthening bilateral contacts between Ankara and Ottawa. During his visit, he met Anand in Toronto before the two ministers toured the Darlington nuclear facility and received briefings on the site.
The visit came as Türkiye seeks to expand international cooperation in strategic sectors, including energy, technology and trade.
Türkiye is seeking to expand its nuclear power capacity beyond the four-reactor Akkuyu plant, which is being built by Russia’s state-owned nuclear company Rosatom in the southern Mersin province and is expected to begin generating electricity later this year.
Ankara plans to construct two additional large-scale nuclear power plants, one in Sinop on the Black Sea coast and in the Thrace region, with negotiations continuing with South Korea for a second facility and discussions with Canada accelerating in recent months for a third project.
Fidan also met Şima Açan, a Canadian Parliament member of Turkish descent representing Oakville West, according to a statement from the Turkish Foreign Ministry on NSosyal social media account.
As part of his Toronto program, Fidan also held talks with Turkish businesspeople based in Canada. He later attended an event organized by the Union of International Democrats titled “Türkiye’s Foreign Policy in an Age of Global Uncertainties,” where he met representatives of Turkish and Muslim communities living in Canada.
Preparations intensified across the Turkish capital ahead of the 36th NATO summit on July 7-8, with authorities rolling out extensive security, traffic and logistical measures as Ankara prepares to host dozens of heads of state and government.
Workers continued installing summit-themed billboards and landscaping along the main protocol route linking Esenboğa Airport to the Presidential Complex. Large signs carrying the slogans “The Key to Peace,” “The Key to Security” and “A Shared Future in Peace” were placed along Turgut Özal Boulevard, one of the main arteries expected to be used by official delegations.
Additional billboards promoting Türkiye’s hosting of the COP31 U.N. Climate Change Conference and showcasing domestically developed defense systems, including the TCG Anadolu amphibious assault ship, the Tayfun ballistic missile and the HÜRJET advanced jet trainer, were also installed along the route.
The Ankara Governor’s Office on Thursday announced a series of temporary road closures and traffic restrictions to ensure the security of summit participants and maintain public order during the high-level gathering.
According to the governor’s office, roads surrounding the Presidential Complex, where the summit meetings will take place, will remain closed to vehicle traffic from 7 a.m. on July 7 until 11:59 p.m. on July 8. Parking will also be prohibited along designated routes, with improperly parked vehicles subject to removal.
Authorities said additional restrictions would be implemented around hotels hosting foreign delegations beginning July 6. Temporary road closures will also be enforced during motorcade movements, while alternative routes have been identified for local traffic. Detailed maps of restricted areas and alternative roads have been published through the Presidency’s Directorate of Communications.
Health officials also sought to reassure residents that public services would continue uninterrupted throughout the summit.
The Ankara Provincial Health Directorate said hospitals and health care facilities across the city would continue operating at full capacity, including emergency departments, operating rooms, intensive care units and inpatient services.
Officials said appointment schedules within the Central Physician Appointment System (MHRS) had been adjusted to account for possible traffic congestion and to ensure uninterrupted access to health care services.
“The measures taken during international events such as the NATO summit are routine practices that comply with international standards,” the health directorate said in a statement, adding that the planning reflects Türkiye’s organizational capacity while protecting citizens’ access to medical services.
DMM denies false claims
Meanwhile, Turkish authorities rejected several claims circulating on social media regarding security arrangements for the summit.
The Presidency’s Directorate of Communications’ Center for Countering Disinformation (DMM) denied allegations that barriers and temporary panels erected along parts of the summit route were intended to conceal buildings or informal housing areas from visiting leaders.
The center said the installations were standard security and logistical measures routinely implemented during major international events, including NATO, G-20 and U.N. summits. It said physical barriers are commonly used to reduce security risks, facilitate the movement of official delegations and minimize environmental and traffic disruptions.
The DMM also dismissed claims that Ankara’s Dikmen Valley and Botanik Park would be closed to the public to accommodate a morning walk by French President Emmanuel Macron.
In a statement, the center described the reports as “completely unfounded,” saying no decision or plan existed to restrict public access to either park for that purpose.
Officials urged the public not to rely on what they described as misleading social media posts intended to create confusion ahead of the summit.
Türkiye will host NATO leaders in Ankara at a time when the alliance faces growing security challenges, including Russia’s war in Ukraine, instability across the Middle East and increasing emphasis on defense spending and industrial cooperation.
Some 40,000 security personnel, including police and gendarmerie officers, will be tasked with the security of the summit. Along with uniformed officers, plainclothes officers will be in charge of security in Ankara.
In addition to CCTV cameras across the city, authorities will install high-tech “observer cams” at 100 critical locations during the summit.
Preparations are being made for the needs of at least 6,000 people who will attend the summit.
Amid a flurry of well-documented cases against Muslims practicing their faith, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan renewed the pledge of his successive governments: intolerance against Islamophobia in the country. Erdoğan, who rode a wave of popularity in the period after the notorious 1997 coup which primarily targeted conservative people, was speaking at a meeting of his Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in Ankara on Thursday where three more mayors joined the party.
A rally in northern Türkiye against a ceremony for graduates of Qur’an classes organized by local branch of Presidency of Religious Affairs, social media reaction to girls covering their heads at an event in line with their Muslim faith and a man captured on camera while insulting two headscarf-wearing women were latest instances in a week of anti-Muslim sentiment in the country. A woman’s social media call for “killing of headscarf-wearing women” further exacerbated the situation. In most cases, criminal investigations were launched against those involved, on charges of insulting the public values.
“Avoiding tension and polarization does not mean that we will remain indifferent when the rights and laws of our people are violated. We were also entrusted with authority to defend the dignity of our brothers and sisters whose rights had been postponed for years and who were pushed aside in their own homeland. We received this mandate to ensure that those who suffered under the oppression of the coup plotters during the February 28 (1997) process would not be subjected to the same tyranny again. We did not allow an arrogant minority to impose its lifestyle on others. We did not tolerate Jacobins interfering with our people’s beliefs,” he said.
“From time to time, we witness attempts to silence the silent majority. We continue our struggle against such efforts within the framework of the law. We will not allow a repressive mentality that longs for the February 28 era to prevail,” he added.
“Our principle is clear: freedom of belief is guaranteed by the Constitution. No one has the right to pressure anyone else. A small, narrow clique cannot dictate a way of life to this nation. The days when a handful of self-important elites scolded women, discriminated against them based on their clothing, and insulted them as “reactionaries” or “bigots” are now behind us. Although those who long for their former arrogance do not remain idle, those dark times will never return. In this country, we will not tolerate anyone being humiliated because of their beard or headscarf, nor will we allow anyone to feel marginalized. We will continue to expand rights and freedoms for every citizen and to regard all 86 million people as one and equal,” he stated.
New AK Party mayors
The meeting was also an occasion for new transfers of AK Party. Mesut Özarslan, mayor of Ankara’s Keçiören district, Mehmet Özcan, mayor of Edirne’s Keşan district and Rasim Arı, mayor of Nevşehir, formally joined the party at the event. Özarslan and Özcan have earlier resigned from the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) while Arı has run on the opposition Good Party (IP) ticket in the last municipal election. On Wednesday, Nimet Özdemir, a lawmaker who resigned from the CHP, has also joined the AK Party which boasts growing support in the past two years despite faring worse than past elections in the 2024 municipal vote.
Türkiye and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Wednesday successfully completed the maritime phase of the Martyr Ensign Caner Gönyeli 2026 Search and Rescue Invitation Exercise, concluding a joint drill aimed at strengthening operational coordination and emergency response capabilities in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The exercise began as the command vessel TCSG Yaşam departed the Port of Gazimağusa before proceeding to the designated exercise area, where participating military and civilian units carried out a series of search and rescue scenarios at sea.
The maritime phase was observed by TRNC Prime Minister Ünal Üstel, Deputy Interior Minister Kübra Güran Yiğitbaşı, Coast Guard Commander Vice Adm. Ahmet Kendir, and TRNC Security Forces Commander Maj. Gen. Ilker Görgülü, as well as domestic and international observers.
The exercise formed part of the annual joint training program between Türkiye and the TRNC, which has been conducted since 2002 to improve interoperability among search and rescue organizations operating in the region.
Rescue scenario
The main scenario simulated a collision between a cargo ship carrying a large number of irregular migrants and a commercial yacht in international waters within Türkiye’s search and rescue region, but outside TRNC territorial waters.
Following distress signals from both vessels, Turkish and TRNC search and rescue authorities launched a coordinated response. A coast guard search and rescue aircraft was dispatched to locate survivors before helicopters and rescue teams were deployed to the area.
Rescue personnel aboard helicopters recovered several victims from the sea using the quick strop method and floating stretchers before transporting injured survivors to the command vessel for medical treatment.
To assist other survivors, an aircraft dropped a search-and-rescue kit containing an inflatable rescue boat into the water. Fast rescue boats later reached the remaining victims and transferred them safely aboard rescue vessels.
The exercise also included an airborne insertion by the Turkish air force. A rescue aircraft released a rescue boat from an altitude of 1,000 feet before climbing to approximately 5,000 feet to deploy a search-and-rescue team by parachute.
After entering the water, the personnel located injured survivors and coordinated their evacuation with coast guard vessels using dedicated rescue platforms and ship maneuvering procedures.
Additional casualties were recovered by ships, helicopters and airborne rescue personnel before being transported to the Port of Gazimağusa for transfer to hospitals as part of the scenario.
Maritime interdiction
After the vessel ignored repeated warnings and interception maneuvers by coast guard units, the Coast Guard Special Operations Team conducted a boarding operation to secure the ship and evacuate those on board.
According to the scenario, a fire broke out aboard the vessel after it had been brought under control. Coast guard teams evacuated both the crew and irregular migrants while firefighting units extinguished the blaze from nearby rescue vessels.
The exercise concluded with participating air and naval assets performing a ceremonial sail past in front of the command ship TCSG Yaşam following the successful completion of all planned scenarios.
Speaking after the exercise, TRNC Prime Minister Ünal Üstel described the drill as a reflection of the strong partnership between Türkiye and the TRNC and said it demonstrated the determination of both sides to safeguard security in the Eastern Mediterranean.
He said the region is undergoing a critical period marked by shifting geopolitical dynamics and emphasized that close cooperation between the two countries remains essential for regional stability.
Deputy Interior Minister Kübra Güran Yiğitbaşı said search-and-rescue operations require meticulous planning, qualified personnel and seamless coordination among institutions. She noted that all coast guard vessels participating in the exercise were built at Turkish shipyards and announced that new domestically produced coast guard ships currently under construction are expected to enter service within two years, further strengthening Türkiye’s maritime capabilities.
Coast Guard Commander Vice Adm. Ahmet Kendir said the exercise successfully tested command-and-control procedures, communication systems and interoperability between military and civilian search-and-rescue organizations from Türkiye and the TRNC.
He added that the drill demonstrated the ability of both countries to conduct coordinated search-and-rescue missions under all weather and sea conditions, stressing that their rescue units remain on duty around the clock under the principle of placing human life first.
AK Party’s 33rd Consultation and Evaluation Meeting has been completed! “Party policies” sessions were held
Türkiye, Saudi Arabia sign action plan to ease bilateral trade
FM Fidan warns against Israeli provocations to derail US-Iran diplomacy
AK Party’s 33rd Consultation and Evaluation Meeting has been completed! “Party policies” sessions were held
Türkiye, Saudi Arabia sign action plan to ease bilateral trade
FM Fidan warns against Israeli provocations to derail US-Iran diplomacy
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