ISTANBUL 

Türkiye's National Defense Ministry said Friday that the Turkish Armed Forces are ready to take on any mission assigned to them as part of the Gaza Task Force.

In response to a question about whether Turkish forces will join the Gaza Task Force, Defense Ministry spokesman Zeki Akturk said the military has previously participated in numerous international missions organized by various institutions across different regions to ensure global peace and security.

He said the Turkish army's professionalism and fair stance have earned the respect of all parties, adding, "Our Armed Forces, which have extensive experience in establishing and maintaining peace, stand ready to undertake any mission assigned to them."

Akturk expressed satisfaction that a ceasefire has been reached in Gaza as a result of Türkiye's mediation efforts, emphasizing the urgent need to deliver humanitarian aid and begin reconstruction in the region, which has been experiencing a severe humanitarian crisis for the past two years. "We hope that the ceasefire will contribute to establishing a just and lasting peace and ultimately serve the two-state solution," he said.

The remarks came as the Israeli army began a gradual troop withdrawal from the Gaza Strip on Friday, hoping to complete the withdrawal to the locations specified in US President Donald Trump's plan to end the war in the Gaza Strip within 24 hours.  

Regional security and Syria developments

  Responding to a question on developments in Syria, ministry sources said Türkiye views the recent elections there as a positive step for the country’s unity, security, and regional stability.

They said attacks by the YPG/SDG terror group on Syrian government forces in Manbij and rural Aleppo show its failure to comply with the March 10, 2025, agreement and its continued threat to peace.

The sources added that Türkiye closely monitors contacts between the Syrian government and the terror group and remains committed to supporting Syria’s “one state, one army” principle.  

Modernizing Türkiye’s Air Force  

In response to a question about Türkiye’s ongoing efforts to purchase Eurofighter jets, ministry sources said the process of diversifying and modernizing the Air Force’s fleet continues until Türkiye’s national fighter jet KAAN enters service.

They said no final decision has been made yet, and the public will be informed once the agreement reaches the approval stage, urging people to rely only on official statements.

Regarding Türkiye’s potential exclusion from the European Defense and Security Architecture (SAFE), sources said the May 27, 2025, regulation imposes restrictions on non-EU members. They stressed that European security depends on inclusivity and that Türkiye will continue defense cooperation with European partners both within and outside SAFE.  

International missions and counterterrorism  

Defense ministry sources reported that 294 people, including two suspected terrorists, were caught attempting illegal border crossings during the week, bringing the total since Jan. 1 to 7,471.

Akturk said the Turkish military continues national and international training to maintain and enhance combat readiness across land, sea, air, space, and cyber domains.

He listed recently completed exercises such as the “Türkiye-Algeria Special Forces Training” in Ankara and the “Adaptive Hussar Field Exercise” in Hungary. He said others—including “National Anatolian Eagle” in Konya, “NATO Maritime Security” in Istanbul, and Romania’s “Sarmis Commando Operation” and “Poseidon Mine Operation”—conclude Friday.

He added that TCG Amasra, which took part in the Poseidon Exercise from Oct. 3–10, also joined the seventh activation of the Mine Countermeasures Black Sea (MCM BLACK SEA) Task Group and will visit the Romanian port of Constanța on Oct. 11–12.

Akturk said upcoming exercises include the Türkiye-Poland bilateral SAT (Underwater Assault) training, Yildirım Mobilization-5 in Kars, Individual Mobilization Training in Antalya, and Türkiye-UAE Special Forces Training in Ankara, ending Oct. 17.

He added that Türkiye will conduct the TAF Cyber Capability Assessment in Ankara, the Türkiye-Azerbaijan bilateral SAT-SAS (Underwater Defense Teams) exercises in Azerbaijan from Oct. 13–17, the Türkiye-North Macedonia Special Forces Training (Oct. 13–22), and the Eternity Peace Support Operation in Kars with Azerbaijan and Georgia (Oct. 13–24).

Türkiye will also participate in NATO’s Steadfast Noon exercise in Denmark (Oct. 11–24) and the NATO Amphibious Operation in the UK (Oct. 13–16).