Author: Daily Sabah

Tanju Özcan, mayor of an opposition-run municipality in northern Türkiye, is the subject of an investigation, Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç announced on Sunday, over his controversial remarks regarding Syrian refugees. Özcan, in his second term as mayor of Bolu province from the Republican People’s Party (CHP), is notorious for his racist policies targeting both Syrian refugees and migrants. He already underwent an investigation in 2021 for his decision to charge foreign nationals astronomical water bills “so that they will be forced to leave.” His sexist remarks bordering sexual harassment toward a municipal assembly member have also drawn ire. In a…

A migration committee of the Turkish Parliament is scheduled to visit border cities to observe the safe return of Syrian refugees to their country in the post-Assad era. Atay Uslu, who heads a subcommittee on tackling migration and social harmony of refugees and migrants, told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Sunday that they will visit the Turkish provinces of Gaziantep and Kilis, where hundreds cross into the Syrian side almost daily. Lawmakers will first travel to Kilis next week, where they will meet officials from the local governorate and migration directorate before heading to Öncüpınar border crossing. Uslu said they would…

As the People’s Alliance furthers a new terror-free initiative to end PKK terrorism, the alliance’s leader says this is a historic opportunity for the country. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who supported the new initiative first unveiled by People’s Alliance member Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), said it was a unique opportunity for the good of the Turkish nation. Addressing his ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AK Party) provincial congress in his ancestral hometown, Rize, on Sunday, the president said one could not accomplish anything in politics without taking risks and their ultimate goal was a terror-free Türkiye. “The outcome of steps…

The Presidential Guard Regiment, formed in the early years of the republic as a presidential security detail, evolved into honor guards over time. As the face of the Turkish army for visiting leaders, they work hard to keep their image intact. Along with serving in ceremonies at the Presidential Complex, the guards perform their duties at ceremonies at Parliament, the Ministry of National Defense and the Office of Chief of Staff. Maintaining strict discipline and sacrificing countless hours for preparations bring perfection to the harmony of the guards at the ceremonies. A military personnel checks and polishes the shoes of…

A new process to convince the PKK terrorist group to lay down arms entered a new stage on Thursday as lawmakers from the Peoples’ Equality Party (DEM Party) linked to the group held an unprecedented meeting with the leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), a government ally viewed as the architect of the new terror-free initiative. Sırrı Süreyya Önder and Pervin Buldan, two lawmakers from the DEM Party who met PKK jailed leader Abdullah Öcalan last week, first visited ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) lawmaker Numan Kurtulmuş, who serves as parliament speaker. Hours later, they met with…

“Less words, more action” is the motto of the Turkish army in Syria, defense ministry sources said on Thursday. They were referring to action against terrorist groups, namely PKK/YPG, as Syria reels from the impact of the civil war that ended with the collapse of the Baathist regime. Sources reaffirmed Ankara’s stance on opposition to terrorist groups in Syria in the new era. “Neither the new Syrian administration nor Türkiye will tolerate it,” sources said. PKK/YPG found itself cornered after anti-regime forces toppled the decades-long regime in December. It sought to exploit the situation by attempting to capture new areas.…

The Good Party (IP) of Türkiye’s opposition cannot seem to shake its downhill path as it loses another parliamentary seat. Party spokesperson Kürşad Zorlu on Thursday announced his resignation in a post on X, joining over a dozen of his colleagues who departed the party following its poor performance in the March 31 municipal elections last year. “The Good Party set out on a journey of change at its fifth extraordinary congress on April 27, 2024, but in the eight months since, I have sadly observed that the opportunity to advance toward a shared target has been lost,” Zorlu wrote.…

Five members of the terrorist group Daesh face prison terms in Türkiye for their links to perpetrators of a terrorist attack in Moscow last March. At least 144 people were killed in the attack at Crocus City Hall, which was claimed by the terrorist group. Four gunmen stormed the venue before the start of a rock concert, opened fire on the audience and set fire to the building. It was the deadliest attack in Russia in about two decades. Suspects linked to perpetrators were arrested in Istanbul and the Chief Prosecutor’s Office in the city recently wrapped up an indictment…

Beşiktaş will face Rizespor on Friday, hoping to secure a win that would elevate them to fourth place in the Süper Lig standings. Rizespor, in turn, can close the gap to sixth-placed Beşiktaş to just three points with a victory at Rize City Stadium. Beşiktaş, under interim head coach Serdar Topraktepe, are navigating a period of uncertainty as they fight to stay in the top-three race. With only four points separating them from third-placed Samsunspor, their chances have been hindered by just one win in the last eight league matches. Following their shock 1-0 victory over Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş suffered a…

Coast guard teams caught a total of 55,467 irregular migrants in Turkish territorial waters in 2024, according to official data from the agency. The coast guard recorded 2,005 irregular migration cases throughout 2024, which spiked in August at 245, followed by September and November. Some 45 migrants drowned to death while the authorities detained 484 migrant smugglers in total. The Turkish coast guard serves to rescue citizens or migrants who face perils like sudden illnesses, accidents or injuries at Türkiye’s search and rescue zones. The agency conducted 1,345 search, rescue and evacuation missions in 2024. It rescued a total of…