Politics
Victim’s wife drops charges in hit-and-run case as suspects remain in US
ISTANBUL
The wife of a young man who was killed in a high-profile hit-and-run crash in Istanbul has retracted her legal complaint against the suspects, who escaped to the United States shortly after the incident.
The incident took place on March 1 last year, when Oğuz Murat Aci was killed in a car crash.
The crash was caused by 17-year-old Timur Cihantimur, who fled to the United States shortly after the incident with his mother, Eylem Tok.
Murat Aci’s wife, Şükriye Aci, who is listed as a complainant in the case, formally withdrew her complaint. Four other individuals who were injured in the crash also retracted their statements against both Timur Cihantimur and his mother.
This comes amid ongoing efforts by Turkish authorities to secure their extradition from the U.S.
Şükriye Aci’s lawyer, Ahmet Aslan, stated in the petition that her financial and emotional damages had been compensated by Bülent Cihantimur, the father of the teenage suspect.
The petition emphasized that Şükriye Aci no longer wished to participate in any potential future trial involving Timur Cihantimur, Eylem Tok, or others under investigation.
The decision quickly sparked speculation that Şükriye Aci had accepted 100 million Turkish Liras ($2.5 million) in return for dropping the charges. Responding to the claim, she said she did not receive such an extraordinary sum.
“What I accepted was what my son and I were already entitled to, compensation that we would have received through a civil lawsuit anyway. I’ve been deeply worn out, by the legal process, by my husband’s family, and psychologically, so I made this decision knowing that the criminal trial will still continue.”
Meanwhile, Murat Aci’s father, Özer Aci, told the private broadcaster NTV that the family has not withdrawn their complaint and will continue the legal battle.
Türkiye on Thursday condemned an Israeli minister’s raid to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound alongside far-right figures, urging the international community to prevent attempts to alter the site’s historical and legal status.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said it “condemns in the strongest terms” the raid, warning that such actions threaten the historical and legal status of the holy sites in Jerusalem.
The ministry called on the international community to prevent provocative acts and attempts by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to create “faits accomplis” that undermine the longstanding status of Jerusalem’s holy sites, particularly Al-Aqsa Mosque.
It reiterated Türkiye’s position that Al-Aqsa Mosque is a place of worship exclusively for Muslims and stressed that preserving its historical and legal status is a shared responsibility of the international community.
Communications Director Burhanettin Duran and ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) spokesman Ömer Çelik also condemned an Israeli minister’s raid on the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, saying the move violated the site’s historic status and risked further inflaming tensions in the region.
Duran said attempts to undermine the historic and legal status of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque were unacceptable and warned that such unilateral actions by the Israeli government would further escalate tensions and damage prospects for lasting peace.
“Such unilateral actions by Netanyahu’s genocidal government aimed at eroding the historical and legal status of Jerusalem only further escalate tensions in the region and undermine hopes for lasting peace.”
Reaffirming Türkiye’s longstanding position, Duran said preserving the historic status of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque is a responsibility shared by the international community, adding that Ankara would continue to support the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and defend Jerusalem’s status under international law.
“Under the leadership of our President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Türkiye will continue to firmly defend the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and the status of Jerusalem under international law,” Duran said.
In a separate statement, AK Party Deputy Chair and spokesperson Ömer Çelik also condemned the visit, saying the protection of Al-Aqsa Mosque’s legal and historical status is “the responsibility of all humanity.”
Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir visited the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Thursday with hundreds of Israeli Jews, drawing criticism over what was described as a violation of the site’s longstanding status quo.
Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli said on Wednesday that Israel should prepare for the possibility of a future confrontation with Türkiye, arguing that direct military contact between the two countries was “not an impossible scenario.”
Speaking at a conference in west Jerusalem, Chikli said a direct encounter between the Israeli and Turkish militaries could occur at sea, adding that such a scenario could happen “even tomorrow morning.”
Türkiye in the past two decades has developed an independent defense industry capable of operating in open waters, thereby shifting geopolitical balances in its favor. The navy plays a critical role in ensuring the security of maritime trade routes in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea, promoting regional stability.
In the past two decades, the country has reached a milestone by designing and producing its own warships. The TCG Heybeliada, the first indigenous corvette, was commissioned in 2011, followed by projects for indigenous frigates and destroyers.
The ADVENT combat management system, developed domestically, represents a significant achievement, enhancing the capabilities of the Turkish navy. In 2024, the country commissioned its first of six planned Reis-class submarines. The project for the Piri Reis submarine, the first of its class, was launched in 2019. It has a length of 68.35 meters (224.25 feet) and a capacity of 40 personnel.
Moreover, Israeli daily Israel Hayom reported that Israeli policymakers are increasingly focused on Türkiye’s growing regional role, arguing that Ankara has gained greater room to expand its influence as Iran’s regional position has weakened.
The newspaper said some Israeli analysts view Türkiye, backed by Qatar, as a leading force in a reshaping regional bloc and urged Israel to adapt its long-term security strategy accordingly.
According to the report, analysts called on Israel to reduce its dependence on the United States in defense procurement, strengthen domestic military capabilities and pursue new regional partnerships to address evolving geopolitical challenges.
The report also claimed Türkiye has expanded its influence across several conflict zones in the Middle East and is seeking to increase its strategic weight in regional trade and security, assertions that reflect the views of the analysts cited by the newspaper.
Relations between Türkiye and Israel have deteriorated sharply since the outbreak of the Gaza war, with Ankara strongly criticizing Israel’s military campaign and suspending bilateral trade. The two countries have also exchanged increasingly sharp rhetoric over regional security issues, including developments in Syria and the Eastern Mediterranean.
Wael Badawi, Egypt’s ambassador to Ankara, underlined the joint role of Türkiye and Egypt in promoting regional peace and stability. In an interview with Anadolu Agency (AA) on Thursday, Badawi said the two countries were strategic partners and key regional and international actors working to promote stability and peace.
Badawi, who took office last year, said Turkish-Egyptian cooperation extends beyond political issues such as Gaza and Iran to include the environment, culture and the economy.
He noted that Egypt and Türkiye had celebrated the centenary of diplomatic relations last year, while noting that ties between the two countries date back centuries and are reinforced by strong people-to-people relations. He said the breadth of cooperation requires close coordination across many fields and is reflected in frequent high-level visits.
Recalling President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Egypt on Feb. 4, where he met with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, Badawi said the leaders held the second meeting of the High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council and signed memoranda of understanding in a range of areas. “We are happy to have this strategic partnership between Egypt and Türkiye. It is a strategic partnership. It is a symbol of cooperation. It really testifies to the strength of the relationship between the two countries,” he said.
Badawi said Egyptian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief and Minister of Defense and Military Production Lt. Gen. Ashraf Salim Zahir visited Ankara last week to strengthen cooperation in defense and the defense industry. “You have a very developed defense industry. In Egypt, too, we have a very advanced defense industry, and therefore we are trying to see how both countries can cooperate in this area,” he said. He added that the two countries also aim to deepen cooperation in areas including the environment, trade, education and science, with additional high-level visits planned to advance practical collaboration.
“Egypt and Türkiye are major regional and international players. They are both strong countries, and they work together for stability and peace in the region, promoting peace, comprehensive and sustainable development, and safeguarding respect for international law,” he said.
He said a platform bringing together Egypt, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan seeks to explore ways to cooperate economically, socially, and politically for the benefit of the region’s people.
Badawi said Cairo and Ankara cooperate not only on Gaza but on the broader Palestinian issue. “We also witnessed the atrocities and what has happened since Oct. 7. It is really a tragedy,” he said.
He added that the two countries work together both bilaterally and through regional frameworks, while sharing common cultural, social, and family values.
Badawi said both countries remain committed to a two-state solution for Palestine. “We are both working for the two-state solution for Palestine. We both oppose any attempt to displace Palestinians from their country.
“This is their country. The hospitals need to be rehabilitated. The schools need to be rehabilitated. There has to be a reconstruction effort,” he said.
Referring to U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace initiative, Badawi said Egypt and Türkiye are working together to support its implementation.
“We are still in phase one of this plan. We want to move to phase two, but Israel still needs to honor its obligations in phase one so that we can move to phase two,” he said.
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.
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