From the war on terrorism to normalization with Damascus, Türkiye’s National Security Council (MGK) will be tackling a series of issues at its first meeting in two months.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is set to convene his aides, minister and Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) commanders in the capital Ankara on Thursday.
The council will be briefed about ongoing cross-border operations in northern Iraq and Syria, as well as steps to establish a security circle on the Iraqi border.
Ankara has intensified airstrikes on PKK and YPG targets in the region after Erdoğan signaled the “issue on our Iraqi border will be permanently resolved this summer.”
The council will discuss counterterrorism achievements in cooperation with Baghdad, including the Iraqi government’s recent decision for state institutions to refer to the PKK as a "banned organization" in official correspondence.
The tentative push for a rapprochement with Syria is also on the agenda, along with possible steps to be taken and the recent conditions on the ground.
The council will discuss Turkish operations in Syria, which target the PKK’s local offshoot, the YPG, as well as support to the terrorist group from formations and countries like the U.S.
Israel’s relentless war on the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 39,100 Palestinians in over nine months, the humanitarian crisis in the blockaded enclave and the risk of regional spillover are other key topics for the council.
The council will discuss Ankara’s diplomatic efforts and calls to international platforms for permanent peace in Palestine based on a two-state solution to prevent the war from spreading.
The MGK meeting also follows the 50th anniversary of Türkiye’s military intervention in Cyprus, dubbed the Cyprus Peace Operation, after a Greek-inspired coup.
Back-to-back remarks from Greek officials that undermine the Ankara-Athens normalization efforts will be tackled at the meeting, as well.
The council will discuss the Russia-Ukraine war, notably grounds for dialogue between the warring sides and the war’s direction in light of regional developments.
The latest situation in the Caucasus region, including the troubled peace process between rivals Azerbaijan and Armenia, is expected to be on the agenda, as well.
