Author: Galip Duman

Ankara (17/12 – 60). Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler said on December 15 that Turkey is willing to provide military training for Syria’s army if requested by the country’s new authorities. “[Turkey] is ready to provide the necessary support if the new administration requests it,” Guler said. Despite Ankara denying that it provided support for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) — a designated terrorist group that led the overthrow of former dictator Bashar al-Assad’s regime earlier this month — President-elect Donald Trump characterized the post-Assad situation as an “unfriendly takeover” by Turkey during a news conference on December 16. In a…

For many years, Tajikistan has been gravely affected by drug trafficking. At least 15-20 tons of opium and between 75 and 80 metric tons of heroin are smuggled into the country each year from Afghanistan either for local consumption or for transfer to Russia and Europe. Despite an official Tajik government policy to fight illicit drug trafficking in cooperation with foreign governments and international organizations, trafficking continues to increase. The volume of drug transit through Tajikistan is now equivalent to 30 percent of the country’s GDP. So far, the success of domestic Tajik policies and international assistance has been minimal. Trafficking is a product of numerous complex…

The Tajikistani authorities are perpetuating systemic discrimination and severe human rights violations against the Pamiri minority, according to new research by Amnesty International. The Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO) in East Tajikistan is home to several ethnic groups forming the Pamiri minority, mostly practicing the Shia Ismaili branch of Islam. Denied official recognition as a minority and regarded as ethnic Tajiks by the central authorities, Pamiris face systemic discrimination, suppression of cultural and religious institutions, political oppression, and brutal reprisals for defending their rights. “The ongoing persecution and human rights violations against the Pamiri minority in Tajikistan reached an alarming scale…

Since Recep Tayyip Erdogan came to power, Turkey has taken a greater interest in Africa than any other nation. Ankara has aggressively expanded its influence across the continent in security, economic, cultural and political sectors. When Erdogan became prime minister in 2003, Turkey had 11 embassies in Africa. Recognizing untapped market potential, Erdogan prioritized expanding relations beyond traditional North African partners. Today, Turkey has 44 embassies across the continent, and Turkish Airlines serves the most destinations in Africa. Turkey’s soft power strategy includes building mosques in countries like Ghana, Mali and Somalia; establishing Turkish schools, hospitals and cultural centers through…

After two days of lengthy negotiations in Doha, Hamas has named Yahya Sinwar as its new overall chief, replacing Ismail Haniyeh who was assassinated in Tehran last week. Since 2017, Sinwar has served as the group’s leader inside the Gaza strip. He will now become leader of its political wing. The Hamas leadership unanimously chose Sinwar to lead the movement, a senior Hamas official told the BBC. The announcement comes at a moment of soaring tensions in the Middle East, as Iran and its allies threaten retaliation for the killing of Haniyeh, which they blame on Israel. Israel has not…

ISTANBUL Star Wars: A New Hope, the very first movie in the famed series, from 1977, got special big-screen showings in Istanbul to mark May 4, the “May the Fourth Be With You” annual event. Some 4,000 people watched Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert in two separate screenings at Istanbul’s Zorlu Performing Arts Center, the venue said in a statement. The Istanbul Film Orchestra, under the direction of master composer John Williams, who composed the music for the original film and many others, and won the Oscar for Best Original Score, accompanied the special screening. Along with its…

TBMM President Numan Kurtulmus, representing Türkiye, arrived in Mexico City for the 10th Parliamentary Presidents Meeting of MIKTA, comprising Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Türkiye and Australia. President Kurtulmus was welcomed at Felipe Angeles International Airport by Türkiye’s Ambassador to Mexico, Ilhan Kemal Tug, Alfredo Aurelio Gonzalez Cruz, Chairman of the Mexico-Türkiye Friendship Group at the Mexican Chamber of Deputies and other officials. Accompanying Kurtulmus are Murat Emir, Deputy Group Chairman of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and Member of Parliament for Ankara; Filiz Kilic, Deputy Group Chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) and Member of Parliament for Nevsehir; Ahmet…

The Turkish fifth generation Kaan fighter jet successfully carried out its second test flight, TGRT television reported. Information about the technical details of the tests has not been received yet. The flight has not been officially confirmed either. After the first flight on February 21, engineers updated the fighter’s software, and worked on integrating new systems to improve its flight and combat features. On February 21, Kaan took off from the Murted airbase, near the Turkish capital Ankara, and returned to the same place after the first test flight. It stayed in the air for 13 minutes, covering more than…

Moscow (28/2). Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that non-governmental organizations in Central Asia have stepped up their anti-Russian activities amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army. Shoigu said this at the board of the Russian Ministry of Defense on February 27. According to him, there are more than 100 “large pro-Western non-governmental organisations” operating in Central Asia, which have more than 16,000 representative offices and branches. “Against the backdrop of the special military operation, these NGOs have significantly increased their anti-Russian activities in order to reduce military-technical, economic and cultural cooperation between the Central Asian states and Russia.…

All men in Russia are required to do a year-long military service, or equivalent training during higher education, from the age of 18. Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree setting out the routine spring conscription campaign, calling up 150,000 citizens for statutory military service, a document posted on the Kremlin’s website showed on Sunday (31 March). All men in Russia are required to do a year-long military service, or equivalent training during higher education, from the age of 18. In July Russia’s lower house of parliament voted to raise the maximum age at which men can be conscripted to 30…