"From General to Phenomenon in Uganda: Kainerugaba's Turkey Issue" by Mustafa Enes Esen, The Institute for Diplomacy and Economy
Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda's Chief of General Staff became the subject of widespread mockery in Turkey following a social media post in which he demanded $1 billion from Ankara and, in the same breath, "the most beautiful woman in that country" as a wife. The remarks, however inflammatory, cannot be easily brushed aside — Kainerugaba's position as both the country's senior military commander and his father's presumed heir apparent lends his public statements a weight that reverberates far beyond Kampala.
These remarks are not simply the ramblings of an impulsive official. The posts, after all, run parallel to Uganda's increasingly visible pro-Israel stance and to Israel's souring relationship with Turkey.
"Turkey promotes ‘Middle Corridor’ as Strait of Hormuz alternative" by John Paul Rathbone, Financial Times
The route depends on slow ferry crossings across the Caspian Sea, uneven rail infrastructure with different gauges, and complex customs procedures across multiple borders. That makes it far slower than the northern corridor, which joins China to Europe via a direct rail link through Russia, and already carries 40mn tonnes of freight a year.
The Middle Corridor is a route “that everyone needs, but few choose to use”, as JPMorgan, an investment bank, described it in a recent report.
Trade officials and economists caution that the idea of cross-Turkey land routes providing an alternative any time soon to maritime chokepoints in the Gulf — or even to the established northern corridor through Russia — is a pipe dream.
"The US-Israel-Iran War and the Reorientation of the Kurdish-Turkish Peace Process" by Dr. Fahil A. Abdulkareem, Manara Magazine
Turkish security assessments state that since the start of the war with Iran, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) has been slow to surrender its weaponry. The evacuation of entire regions, including Khwakurk, Gabar, and Qandil (in the Turkish-Iraqi-Iranian border triangle), was expected to happen earlier but has stalled. According to Turkish security experts, the PKK views Iran as a strategic outlet and a space in which it may pursue Kurdish aspirations in the future.
For its part, the Turkish government’s policy of slowing down the “Turkey Free of Terrorism” process is a result of several interrelated factors, chief among them regional unpredictability, the need to verify disarmament on the ground, and the approaching summer presidential and parliamentary elections, which are compelling the government to proceed more cautiously.
The war with Iran exposed a fundamental inconsistency in the strategy: the Kurds perceive it as a pathway to securing genuine ethnic rights, while the state sees it as a reorganisation of Turkey’s domestic order. At this stage, each side is waiting for the other to initiate engagement.
Interior Ministry Authorises Probe into Ankara Mayor over Rally Vehicle Claims
Turkey's Interior Ministry has authorised an investigation into Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavas of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) over allegations that municipal vehicles were used during a 2023 election rally.
The authorisation relates to claims that six minibuses belonging to the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality were used at a presidential campaign rally in the northwestern province of Karabuk.
In a written statement, the municipality said the investigation file itself acknowledged there was no evidence that Yavas had instructed or approved the alleged use of municipal resources. It added that it would appeal the decision.
CHP leader Ozgur Ozel criticised the move, saying President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, both a candidate and the incumbent during the 2023 campaign, had used all state resources and attended rallies and inaugurations without observing democratic norms.
He said those who had ignored repeated warnings were now showing "remarkable sensitivity" over the alleged use of municipal vehicles at the Karabuk rally.
Turkey detains CHP district mayor in widening municipal probes
Security forces detained Onursal Adiguzel, mayor of Istanbul's Atasehir district, three deputy mayors and 14 others in overnight raids on April 17 as part of an expanding crackdown targeting municipalities run by the main opposition CHP.
The Istanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office said it had launched an investigation after receiving allegations that municipal officials took bribes in exchange for construction and occupancy permits. Prosecutors said financial crimes investigators examined financial records and phone data, and collected witness statements, before carrying out searches at 45 locations.
Adiguzel denied any wrongdoing in a message posted on social media, saying the accusations were politically motivated and part of a smear campaign.
Turkey Arrests 12 in Probe into CHP-Run Municipality
Turkish courts arrested 12 of 33 people detained last week over allegations of bid rigging, bribery and extortion in an investigation targeting the CHP-run Yenisehir Municipality in southern Turkey. Those jailed pending trial include Deputy Mayor Umit Civan, two department heads, seven municipal employees and five company owners, according to judicial authorities.
Nineteen suspects were released under judicial supervision, while two others were freed after questioning by prosecutors.
AK Party Spokesman rebukes DEM Party criticism over peace process
AK Party Deputy Chairman and party spokesman Omer Celik said that legal steps related to the PKK could only follow once state institutions confirmed the militant group had laid down its arms.
Speaking at party headquarters after a meeting of the party's Central Executive Committee, Celik responded to criticism from DEM Party leaders and spokespeople directed at the government.
Celik said some DEM Party lawmakers spoke responsibly and with common sense, but criticised others for what he described as repeated attempts to assign tasks to the government and the state, as well as for personal attacks on ministers and AK Party officials. "Since our focus is on achieving the goals of a Turkey and a region free from terrorism, we are not responding to these individually," Celik said.
Referring to a parliamentary commission report, Celik said it concluded that legal regulations should depend on the PKK's disarmament, and added that any such steps would require confirmation from state institutions that this had occurred.
IMF cuts Turkey's 2026 growth forecast; top officials flag war risks
The International Monetary Fund cut its economic growth forecast for Turkey to 3.4% for 2026 from 4.2%, citing weaker-than-expected activity in 2025 and the impact of higher oil and gas prices.
In its World Economic Outlook published on April 14, the IMF revised its forecast down by 0.8 percentage points from its January 2026 outlook. It also cut its 2027 growth forecast for Turkey to 3.5% from 4.1%.
The IMF expects inflation in Turkey to average 28.6% in 2026, before easing to 21.4% in 2027. It forecast Turkey's current account deficit at 2.8% of gross domestic product in 2026, narrowing slightly to 2.5% of GDP in 2027.
Separately, Turkey's top economic officials told investors this week that fallout from the war with Iran was likely to weigh on growth and add to near-term price pressures, according to people with knowledge of the discussions cited by Bloomberg.
Treasury and Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek and central bank Governor Fatih Karahan held closed-door meetings with investors on the sidelines of the IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington and New York, the people said.
Karahan told investors that April and May inflation readings were likely to reflect war-related price pressures, including higher energy costs, the people added.
Business Closures Hit 44,746 in First Quarter as Bad Loans Surge
Data from the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) showed that 34,155 small businesses and 10,591 companies, cooperatives and sole proprietorships closed between January and March 2026, bringing the total number of closures to 44,746 in the first quarter. The figure means roughly 500 businesses shut down each day during the three-month period.
In the same period, the number of newly established companies, sole proprietorships and cooperatives rose by only 182 from a year earlier to 33,816, pointing to weak business formation.
Meanwhile, non-performing loans held by banks jumped 88% over the past year to 688.632 billion lira, underlining growing financial strain across the economy.
Turkey Team Meets Investors in Portugal Over Highways Sale
A Turkish government team recently visited Portugal to meet potential investors as part of Ankara's plan to privatise state-run highways and bridges worth billions of dollars, three sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
Officials from Turkey's privatisation administration and EY, the global consultancy hired last year to advise on the sale, held meetings in recent weeks, two sources said.
On April 16, a Turkish delegation met senior executives at Brisa, Portugal's largest highway operator, at Ankara's request to discuss the privatisation plan, a third source familiar with the matter said. Brisa had also shown interest in an earlier Turkish privatisation drive in 2011.
Turkey Signs MOU with Total Energies on Oil, Gas Exploration
Turkey signed a memorandum of understanding with France's TotalEnergies to explore potential cooperation in hydrocarbon exploration, Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar announced on April 13.
In a post on X, Bayraktar said the agreement, signed in Istanbul between state-run Turkish Petroleum Corp (TPAO) and TotalEnergies, would focus on assessing joint oil and gas exploration opportunities in Turkey and internationally.
He added that Turkey aims to expand its technical capabilities through international partnerships.
Justice Data Shows 13.3 million Prosecution Files Handled in 2025
Turkey's Justice Ministry released its 2025 Justice Statistics, showing prosecutors handled nearly 13.3 million case files during the year, including those carried over from previous years, involving more than 16.7 million suspects.
The data showed that 22.9 million criminal allegations were recorded, and 6 million of the 13.3 million files were opened in 2025. Under the Turkish Penal Code, crimes against property, liberty, and honour were the three most common categories in investigation files.
According to data, chief public prosecutor offices handled 332,648 investigation-stage files involving children allegedly driven to crime in 2025. The number of children in those files stood at 330,496.
In 2025, the average processing time for a file was 155 days in chief public prosecutor offices, 248 days in criminal courts and 243 days in civil courts, the data showed. The longest average duration was recorded in enforcement and bankruptcy offices, at 883 days.
Turkey detains 60 over alleged Gulen movement links
Turkish authorities detained 60 people, including civil servants and doctors, in operations across multiple provinces on April 14 as part of an ongoing crackdown on the Gulen movement.
In an operation led by the Mersin Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, 43 people were detained in Mersin and seven other provinces, including Istanbul and Ankara. Those held included three current and 16 former civil servants who had been dismissed by government decrees. Authorities said the suspects were accused of providing financial support to families of individuals imprisoned or dismissed over alleged links to the movement.
In a separate operation led by Istanbul police, 17 people, including 15 doctors working at public hospitals, were detained across 12 provinces.
Turkish Courts Sentence Journalists in Separate Cases
An Istanbul court sentenced journalist Zafer Arapkirli to two years and six months in prison on April 15 on charges of "spreading misleading information", while acquitting him of a separate charge of inciting hatred and enmity.
The case against Arapkirli stemmed from comments he posted on X about deadly violence between Assad loyalists and forces in Alawite-majority villages aligned with Syria's new leadership under President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Addressing the court, Arapkirli denied the charges.
In a separate case, another Istanbul court acquitted journalist Sule Aydin but sentenced three others over remarks made during a 2024 programme on opposition broadcaster Halk TV about allegations concerning Turkey's trade with Israel and claims that gold smuggling had taken place through the VIP section of Istanbul Airport.
Timur Soykan was sentenced to 10 months in prison for violating confidentiality, while Murat Agirel and Baris Pehlivan were each sentenced to 1 year and 3 months for publicly spreading misleading information.
Journalist Acarer's Account Blocked on Security Grounds
Journalist Erk Acarer's account on X has been blocked from access in Turkey on grounds of protecting national security and public order, the Freedom of Expression Association (IFOD) said.
The X platform implemented the decision, making the account invisible to users in Turkey.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hosts Regional Ministers at Antalya Diplomacy Forum
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hosted the third meeting of foreign ministers from Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on April 17, diplomatic sources said. Fidan held the meeting on the sidelines of the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum, the sources said, without providing further details.
World leaders and senior officials gathered in Turkey from April 17 to 19 for the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, an international meeting in the southern Mediterranean city focused this year on managing global uncertainty.
Fidan Says Europe Discussing Risks of Partial U.S. Withdrawal From NATO
European officials are discussing how to manage or reduce the impact of a possible partial U.S. withdrawal from Europe's security framework, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on April 18.
"We are very much discussing how to manage or mitigate the withdrawal of the U.S. from the European security architecture. Even a partial withdrawal would be very destructive for Europe if it's not done in a coordinated way," Fidan told a panel at a diplomacy forum in Antalya.
Fidan was referring to U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to pull Washington out of NATO after European members of the alliance refused to send ships to help unblock the Strait of Hormuz following the start of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.
He also criticized European Union countries within NATO, saying they were acting like a separate bloc and making decisions on their own, even when those decisions contradicted the alliance's position.
Turkey Has over 70,000 Troops Deployed in 13 Countries
The Turkish armed forces have more than 70,000 troops deployed across 13 countries, meaning about 13% of their 550,000 active personnel are stationed outside Turkey, according to sources at the Defence Ministry. The figure amounts to roughly one-eighth of the military's active force, based on personnel numbers set out in the parliament's budget documents.
Eleven of Turkey's overseas military units operate under bilateral or multilateral agreements with host countries. The deployments in Syria and Iraq, however, are classified as temporary operational bases established as part of Turkey's counter-terrorism operations.
U.S. Envoy Says S-400 Dispute with Turkey May Be Resolved Soon
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack said on April 17 that he expected Washington and Ankara to resolve the issue of U.S. sanctions imposed on Turkey over its purchase of Russian S-400 missile defence systems soon. In 2020, the United States removed Turkey from the F-35 fighter jet procurement and manufacturing programme due to the purchase.
"I think you are going to see the S-400 situation solved soon. From my boss's point of view, acceptance into an F-35 programme is fine," Barrack stated at the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.
U.S. Sanctions Target Network Moving Iranian Oil, Gold via Turkey
The U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions on April 15 targeting a money-laundering network it said moved Iranian oil to Venezuela in exchange for gold, which was later sold on Turkey's black market to generate funds for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) and Hezbollah.
According to the Treasury, Iranian national Seyed Naiemaei Badroddin Moosavi arranged for Iranian oil to be smuggled to the government of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in exchange for gold.
The gold was then flown on U.S.-designated Mahan Air to Hezbollah members in Tehran, including U.S.-designated financier Ali Qasir, and from there smuggled to Turkey, where it was sold on the black market, the Treasury said.
Turkey May Consider Extending Iran Gas Deal, Minister Says
Turkey may hold talks with Iran on extending a long-term natural gas import agreement set to expire in the coming months, though no negotiations have begun yet, Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said on April 18. The deal, which is due to expire in July, allows for the delivery of 9.6 billion cubic metres of gas annually.
"According to our forecast, we might need this gas pipeline or the gas flow from Iran for the security of supply to Turkey. But we haven't started a negotiation due to the current circumstances in the region," Bayraktar told reporters on the sidelines of a diplomacy forum in Antalya.
Russia Names Turkish Firms in Warning over Ukraine Drone Support
Russia has threatened companies it says are supporting Ukraine's drone production by publishing their addresses and warning of "unpredictable consequences", with two firms in Turkey named among the potential targets.
In a statement released on April 15, the Russian Defence Ministry said European countries had decided to increase the production and supply of unmanned aerial vehicles to Ukraine, describing the move as an escalation of the conflict and saying Europe was becoming a "strategic rear" for Kyiv.
The ministry also published a list of companies involved in producing drones and related components for Ukraine, including their full addresses.
The countries listed included Germany, Israel, Britain and Turkey. Among the Turkish companies named were Tualcom and Dow Aksa, with locations in Ankara and Yalova.
Turkey Grants Visa-Free Travel to Australians Ahead of Anzac Day
Turkey will allow Australian citizens to enter the country visa-free from April 17, in a unilateral move aimed at boosting tourism, days before Anzac Day commemorations at Gallipoli on April 25.
Under a decree published in the Official Gazette and signed by President Erdogan, holders of ordinary Australian passports will be able to travel to Turkey visa-free for tourism or transit for up to 90 days within any 180-day period. The decision is not reciprocal, and Turkish citizens will still need visas to travel to Australia.
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