Author: Dilara Aslan

In a significant diplomatic development, three full members of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) – Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan – along with observer state Turkmenistan, have formally recognized the Greek Cypriot administration, breaking from Türkiye’s longstanding diplomatic strategy in the divided island of Cyprus. This shift is seen as a major setback for Türkiye’s efforts to gain broader international recognition for the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The decision to establish diplomatic ties with the Greek Cypriots and align with United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions that advocate the Greek Cypriot administration’s status as the sole legitimate government…

Relations between Ankara and Mogadishu have gained a strategic dimension through cooperation in fields such as security and energy in recent years, Somalia’s Foreign Minister Ali Mohamed Omar said. “We value our relations with Türkiye. This is a brotherly relationship based on partnership. Although the first cooperation dates back to the Ottoman period, a new page was opened in ties with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit during the height of the famine in the country in 2011,” Omar told Daily Sabah. Cooperation, which was centered mostly around humanitarian aid, agriculture and education, soon developed into more strategic fields. “With investment…

Families of victims of the Bolu Kartalkaya hotel fire are set to gather on April 13 in front of the hotel in a solemn demonstration to remember those lost and demand accountability. The protest, organized by relatives and civil society groups, comes amid growing frustration over a protracted judicial process that many say has yet to deliver justice. Latest developments indicate that investigations into the tragic blaze, which claimed numerous lives last year, have been ongoing with several charges brought against hotel management and local officials. However, families argue that delays in the judicial process have compounded their grief and…

Türkiye’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) convened an extraordinary congress on April 6, 2025, solidifying the leadership of Chairperson Özgür Özel and further restructuring the party’s internal power dynamics. The congress came shortly after the judicial proceedings targeting Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, a development that drew widespread political attention and renewed debate over opposition unity. “All the recent developments, the corruption case of Imamoğlu, the calls for the streets afterward, boycotts and demonstrations have been processes aiming to construct Özgür Özel’s leadership within the CHP,” political scientist and columnist Oğuzhan Bilgin told Daily Sabah. “Since Özel won the CHP…

Tucked beneath Finland’s capital, hidden behind unassuming entryways in parking garages and sports facilities, lies one of Europe’s most comprehensive civil defense networks: an intricate system of underground bunkers designed to shelter the entire population in the event of war. Built over decades of meticulous planning, these shelters – some of which double as ice hockey rinks or swimming pools – are a testament to Finland’s deep-seated philosophy of preparedness. This readiness extends far beyond its subterranean refuges. Finland, NATO’s newest member after Ankara’s ratification, has long embraced a “comprehensive security” model that treats national defense as a shared responsibility…

The Erbil Forum this year was marked by a focus on Türkiye and the process of achieving peace with the PKK, which will significantly influence Ankara’s ties with Iraq. Organized by Rudaw Research Center in cooperation with international think tanks last week in the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Iraq, the Erbil Forum was held under the theme “The future of the Middle East Amid Mounting Uncertainty.” While Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al Sudani sent a video message, Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid, Parliament Speaker Mahmoud Mashhadani, KRG President Nechirvan Barzani and several other high-level officials attended the forum…

As geopolitical tensions mount from the ongoing war in Ukraine to the Trump administration’s shifting stance on NATO, the European Union faces a stark reality: It can no longer afford to overlook Türkiye’s strategic importance. Recent events, including Trump leaving out the EU and Ukraine for talks on the ongoing war with Russia, Trump voicing his intention to expand its territory by acquiring Denmark’s Greenland, rumors on a deal with China that officials in Europe fear might harm Taiwan and Trump’s downplaying of NATO’s importance among other issues, highlight the urgent need for Europe to reassess its partnerships. With NATO’s…

During a recent visit to Baghdad, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called for combined regional efforts to combat the PKK in Iraq, as well as its wing YPG in neighboring Syria and Daesh in the region. The scheme raised many questions about whether it is viable, considering the relevant countries’ stances, priorities, terrorist groups and outside factors. “I want to emphasize this fact in the strongest way: The PKK is targeting Türkiye, Iraq and Syria,” Fidan said. There is a clear understanding between Türkiye and Iraq on how to address the situation there, he said, adding that Baghdad was in contact…

Syrian opposition coalition head Hadi al-Bahra offered details regarding the ideal future road map for Syria’s remake, including complex aspects, opportunities, challenges and disruptors, during a recent interview with Daily Sabah. Syria has been in a phase of political reorientation since Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)-led anti-regime forces launched a surprise offensive in December that resulted in the overthrow of long-time authoritarian leader Bashar Assad after almost 14 years of civil war. A transitional government has been put in place, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, who proposed a national dialogue conference to draft the country’s future institutions, politics and constitution. He explained:…

The Polisario Front, which attests it represents the Indigenous Sahrawi people and is in dispute with the Moroccan government, invited PKK elements to its recent meeting. The Syrian wing of the PKK terrorist group, the YPG, took part in the front’s meeting called “Sahrawi Solidarity Summit” in the Sahrawi camps close to Algeria on Jan.4-7, according to diplomatic sources. At the meeting, the YPG/PKK made a presentation and gave propaganda messages calling for support and denouncing Türkiye’s counterterrorism operations. Türkiye, in the conflict, supports the Moroccan government and does not recognize either the SADR nor the Polisario Front. Ankara supports…