Page 10 - Turkey

Wary of Ukraine and Gaza war, Turkey and Greece test friendship initiative

Old foes Turkiye and Greece will test a five-month-old friendship initiative on Monday when Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visits Ankara. The two NATO members, which share decades of mutual animosity, a tense border and disputed waters, agreed to sideline disputes last December. Instead, they're focusing on trade and energy, repairing cultural ties and a long list of other items placed on the so-called positive agenda. Here's a look at what the two sides hope to achieve and the disputes that have plagued ties in the past: FOCUSING ON A POSITIVE AGENDA Mitsotakis is to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on Monday as part of efforts to improve ties following the solidarity Athens showed Ankara after a devastating earthquake hit southern Turkiye last year. The two leaders have sharp differences over the Israeli-Hamas war, but are keen to hold back further instability in the eastern Mediterranean as conflict also continues to rage in Ukraine. We alwa

Turkey carried out new airstrikes against Kurdish militants in north Iraq

Turkiye has carried out a new round of airstrikes targeting Kurdish militants in neighbouring Iraq, the Turkish defence ministry said Monday. Warplanes struck suspected positions of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, in the regions of Hakurk, Metina and Gara in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region, according to the statement. The airstrikes reportedly killed 16 militants, including some commanders, the ministry said. There was no immediate comment from the PKK, a banned separatist group that has waged an insurgency against Turkiye since the 1980s. The ministry said it was determined to rescue Turkiye from this problem. The latest airstrikes came weeks after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan paid his first visit to Iraq in 12 years, seeking greater cooperation from Baghdad in the fight against the militants. Erdogan had previously announced a major operation against the PKK for this summer with the aim of permanently eradicating the threat it poses. The PKK, labelled a ...

Turkey opens another former church from Byzantine-era as mosque

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan formally opened a former Byzantine church in Istanbul as a mosque on Monday, four years after his government had designated it a Muslim house of prayer, despite criticism from neighbouring Greece. Turkey formally converted The Church of St. Saviour in Chora, known as Kariye in Turkish, into a mosque in 2020, soon after it similarly turned Istanbul's landmark Haghia Sophia into a Muslim house of prayer. Both conversions drew praise from Muslim faithful but criticism from Greece and other countries who had urged Turkey to protect the important Byzantine-era monuments. Both are listed as UN World Heritage Sites. Like Haghia Sophia, which was a church for centuries and then a mosque for centuries more, the Chora had operated as a museum for decades before it was ordered turned into a mosque. The Chora's formal launch as a mosque, however, was delayed as the structure then underwent restoration. Erdogan on Monday remotely presided over a ceremony .

Turkey confirms it's halting trade with Israel because of war in Gaza

Turkiye's Trade Ministry says the country is halting imports and exports to Israel over its ongoing military actions in Gaza. A ministry statement on Thursday said export and import transactions in relation to Israel have been stopped, covering all products. It described the step as the second phase of measures against Israel, adding that the country would implement other steps against Israel until it allows an uninterrupted and sufficient flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Last month, Turkiye a staunch critic of Israel announced that it was restricting exports of 54 types of products to Israel with immediate effect. They include aluminum, steel, construction products and chemical fertilisers. Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz sharply criticised Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, saying in a post on X that Turkiye is breaking agreements by blocking ports for Israeli imports and exports.

Turkiye ships planning to deliver aid to Gaza denied right to sail

A three-ship flotilla planning to reach Gaza with humanitarian aid from Turkiye was prevented from sailing by Guinea-Bissau authorities, which took down their country's flags from two ships, organizers said. Just before the flotilla was set to sail from Turkiye to Gaza on Friday with 5,000 tons of aid, a surprise inspection by the Guinea-Bissau International Ships Registry resulted in the removal of the flags from two of the Freedom Flotilla ships. A press release by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition described the cancellation of the vessels' registry as a blatantly political move, adding: "Without a flag, we cannot sail. The organizers blamed Israel for applying pressure to prevent the flotilla. It is obvious, and I think it is publicly known, that there has been close contact between Israel and the president of Guinea-Bissau, organizer and steering committee member Torstein Dahle told The Associated Press, without elaborating. He said that hundreds of Turkish and international ...

Kurdish separatists, water issues loom large in Erdogan's visit to Iraq

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was set to make his first official visit to Iraq in more than a decade on Monday as his country seeks greater cooperation from Baghdad in its fight against a Kurdish militant group that has a foothold in northern Iraq. Other issues also loom large between the two countries, including water supply issues and exports of oil and gas from northern Iraq to Turkiye, which have been halted for more than a year. Erdogan's last visit to Iraq was in 2011, when he was Turkiye's prime minister. Iraqi government spokesperson Bassem al-Awadi said in a statement that Erdogan's visit will be a major starting point in Iraqi-Turkish relations and will include the signing of a deal on a joint approach to security challenges and a strategic agreement on the water file, among other issues. Erdogan has said his country plans to launch a major operation against the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, a Kurdish separatist movement banned in Turkiye and with operations

Iran told Turkey in advance of its operation against Israel, says report

Turkey, which has denounced Israel for its campaign on Gaza, said earlier on Sunday that it did not want a further escalation of tensions in the region

Turkey, Israel engage in trade tit-for-tat as relations deteriorate further

Turkey and Israel announced tit-for-tat trade barriers on Tuesday as relations between them further deteriorated amid the war in Gaza. Turkey, a staunch critic of Israel's military actions in Gaza, first announced that it was restricting exports of 54 types of products to Israel with immediate effect. The products include aluminum, steel, construction products, jet fuel and chemical fertilizers. Responding to the Turkish trade restrictions, Israel said it was preparing a ban on products from Turkey. The move came a day after Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Israel had barred Turkish military cargo planes from joining an operation to airdrop humanitarian aid to Gaza and vowed to respond with a series of measures against Israel until it declares a ceasefire in Gaza and allows aid to flow in without interruptions. There is no excuse for Israel to block our attempt to deliver aid by air to starving people of Gaza, Fidan said, in announcing retaliatory steps against Israel. Th

As talks with Kurds fail, Iraq repairs pipeline to supply oil to Turkey

The reopening of the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline, which has been shut for a decade, would provide a rival route to a pipeline from the Kurdistan region that has been shut for a year

German investigators seize fake US bills with a face value of over $103 mn

German investigators said on Friday they have seized counterfeit US dollar bills with a face value of over USD 103 million, which apparently came from Turkey and were being stored ahead of transport to the United States. The criminal police office in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany's northernmost state, said officers found 75 cartons of fake dollars in searches of an apartment and two company addresses after tips from US authorities led them to firms run by a man who is suspected of exporting counterfeit money to the US in the past. The bills, known as prop copy or movie money," could be recognised as fakes when scrutinised closely, but Germany's central bank and US authorities believe they could be mistaken for real money in everyday life, police said in a statement. They believe the counterfeits came from a wholesaler in Turkey who was using one of the suspect's export firms in Juebek, near the Danish border, for interim storage before the bills were shipped to the US. The 42-year-ol

In setback to Erdogan, Turkey's Oppn makes huge gains in local election

Turkiye's main opposition party retained its control over key cities and made huge gains elsewhere in Sunday's local elections, preliminary results showed, in a major upset to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had set his sights on retaking control of those urban areas. With nearly 60 per cent of the ballot boxes counted, incumbent Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, of the Republican People's Party, or CHP, was leading in Istanbul, Turkiye's largest city and economic hub, according to state broadcaster TRT. Mansur Yavas, the mayor of the capital Ankara, retained his seat with a large margin, the results indicated. The CHP was leading in 36 of Turkiye's 81 provinces, according to the results reported by TRT. The vote was seen as a barometer of President Erdogan's popularity as he sought to win back control of key urban areas he lost to the opposition in elections five years ago. The CHP's victory in Ankara and Istanbul in 2019, had shattered Erdogan's aura of invincibility. The main battlegrou

Turkey holds elections to test Erdogan's popularity, race on for key cities

Turkiye is holding local elections Sunday that will decide who gets to control Istanbul and other key cities. The vote is also a barometer of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's popularity as he seeks to win back control of key urban areas he lost to the opposition five years ago. The main battlegrounds are the country's economic hub of Istanbul and the capital of Ankara, both of which Erdogan lost in 2019, shattering his aura of invincibility. The 70-year-old Turkish president has set his sights on wresting back Istanbul, a city of 16 million people, where he was born and raised, and where he began his political career as mayor in 1994. A strong showing for Erdogan's ruling Islamic-oriented Justice and Development Party, or AKP, would likely harden his resolve to usher in a new constitution one that would reflect his conservative values and allow him to rule beyond 2028, when his current term ends, analysts say. For the opposition divided and demoralized after a defeat in l

Turkish warplanes strike Kurdish militant positions in Iraq, 4 wounded

Turkey carried out a new round of airstrikes targeting Kurdish militants in neighbouring Iraq on Tuesday, Turkey's defence ministry said, hours after a Turkish soldier was killed and four others were wounded in an attack in the region. Turkey often launches strikes against targets in Syria and Iraq it believes to be affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, a banned Kurdish separatist group that has waged an insurgency against Turkey since the 1980s. On Tuesday, the Turkish warplanes struck suspected PKK positions in the Metina, Zap, Hakurk, Gara and Qandil regions in northern Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish region, according to a ministry statement. The jets reportedly destroyed 27 PKK targets, including caves, bunkers, and shelters. There was no immediate comment from the PKK. "We have not left the blood of any of our martyrs on the ground," the ministry said, suggesting that the airstrikes were in retaliation to the attack that killed the Turkish soldier and wounded fo

Migrant boat capsizes near Turkiye's coast; at least 21 people killed

A rubber dinghy carrying migrants sank off Turkiye's northern Aegean coast on Friday, killing at least 21 people, officials said. Turkish coast guard personnel rescued two migrants from the sea off the town of Eceabat in Canakkale province, while two others reached the shore by themselves and notified officials, Gov. Ilhami Aktas said. It was not clear how many people were on the boat when it sank and the coast guard was continuing to search the area, he said. A statement from Aktas' office later said five of the dead were children. The migrants' nationalities were not immediately known. Eighteen rescue boats, a plane, two helicopters and a drone were involved in the search and rescue mission, the statement said. Ambulances were on standby at a nearby port, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported. Although their numbers have declined in recent years, migrants mostly from the Middle East and Africa often leave Turkiye to try to reach Greece in search of a better life in European ...

Turkey Prez supports Hamas, compares Netanyahu to Hitler

Turkish President Erdogan expressed strong support for Hamas, rejecting claims of it being a terror organization during a speech in Istanbul. Watch the video to know

Fitch upgrades Turkey's sovereign rating to B+ on tighter monetary policies

"Upgrade reflects increased confidence in the durability and effectiveness of policies implemented since the pivot in June 2023," Fitch said

Govt cuts import duty on turkeys; exempts extra long staple cotton from tax

The government has fully exempted customs duty on import of extra long staple cotton, and has cut duties on specified varieties of imported blueberries, cranberries and frozen turkeys. In a notification, the Finance Ministry has slashed import duty on certain items of blueberries and cranberries from 30 per cent to 10 per cent in some cases and 5 per cent in other cases. Similarly, import duty pertaining to meat and edible offal of turkeys, were also reduced from 30 per cent to 5 per cent effective Tuesday. According to officials, the duty rate changes on frozen turkey, specified cranberries and blueberries and their processed products is to implement the recommendation of the Department of Commerce following a mutually agreed solution between India and the US. Nangia Andersen India Associate Director- Indirect Tax, Khushbu Trivedi, said, in pursuance of the bilateral agreement that took place in the recent G20 Leaders' Summit between India and USA intended at addressing the past .

Royal Enfield partners with K-Rides Motosiklet to enter Turkiye market

Mid-sized motorcycle maker Royal Enfield on Friday announced its foray into the Turkish market through a distribution partnership with K-Rides Motosiklet ve Bisiklet San. ve Tic. A.S., a subsidiary of Kibar Holding. K-Rides Motosiklet ve Bisiklet San. ve Tic. A.S. will be the official distributor partner in Turkiye. The first flagship store is set to open in Istanbul this spring, Royal Enfield said in a statement. Through the partnership a lineup of motorcycles including Bullet, Classic, HNTR, Meteor, Super Meteor, Interceptor, Continental GT, the new Himalayan and the Shotgun, featuring engine displacements of 350cc and 650cc will be sold in the country, it added. "We are confident in their knowledge and deep understanding of the Turkish markets and with this association Royal Enfield will further strengthen its presence in the region's mobility sector," said Royal Enfield Chief Commercial Officer Yadvinder Sing Guleria. Kibar Holding Chief Corporate Development Officer Gokhan ..

Sanctions imposed on Iran Central Bank subsidiary for US tech procurement

The US has imposed sanctions on three people and four firms across Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey for allegedly helping to export goods and technology purchased from US companies to Iran and the nation's central bank. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control said the procurement network transferred US technology for use by Iran's Central Bank in violation of US export restrictions and sanctions. Some of the materials acquired by the Central Bank of Iran were items classified as information security items subject to national security and anti-terrorism controls by the Commerce Department, Treasury says. Included in the sanctions package is Informatics Services Corp., an Iranian subsidiary of Iran's Central Bank that most recently developed the Central Bank Digital Currency platform for the bank; a UAE-based front company, which acquired US tech for the Central Bank of Iran and the front company's CEO, as well as a Turkey-based affiliate firm that also made purchases tha

Rescuers deployed in search for 9 workers missing at Turkish gold mine

Hundreds of rescuers on Wednesday pressed ahead with efforts to search for at least nine workers trapped at a gold mine in eastern Turkiye that was engulfed by a massive landslide. The landslide struck the Copler mine in the town of Ilic in Turkiye's mountainous Erzincan province on Tuesday. Footage seemingly shot by a worker showed a huge mass of earth rushing down a gully, overrunning everything in its path. The landslide involved a mound of soil extracted from the mine, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said. Some 800 search and rescue personnel, including police and military teams, mine rescuers and volunteers, were deployed to find the mine workers, Yerlikaya said early Wednesday. Other workers at the mine have also joined the efforts to rescue their colleagues, while families of the missing waited at an area close to the mine for news of their loved ones, Haberturk television reported. An investigation into the disaster has been launched. Experts, meanwhile, have warned that t