Nearly half of Türkiye’s land borders are now protected by security walls as part of an ongoing nationwide border security initiative, according to the 2026 Presidential Annual Program published in the Official Gazette on Thursday.
The program outlines ongoing efforts under the Border Physical Security Systems projects, launched in 2016 to strengthen border control, curb irregular migration, combat smuggling and prevent potential terrorist activities.
Under the Border Physical Security System projects, walls have been constructed along 1,304 kilometers (810 miles), roughly 44% of Türkiye’s 2,949-kilometer land borders, as of October 2025. Additionally, patrol roads have been built along about 1,700 kilometers, representing 58% of the total border.
The program highlights that along the high-risk borders with Syria and Iran, stretching a combined 1,471 kilometers, physical barriers and patrol roads now cover about 87% of their length. Efforts continue along the 25-kilometer stretch of the Iraqi border, where physical barriers and patrol roads are being extended.
Between 2017 and 2025, 363 kilometers of security walls and 367 kilometers of patrol roads have been built along 560 kilometers of the 1,182-kilometer-long eastern border with Iran, covering 81 kilometers in Ağrı, 54 kilometers in Iğdır, 19 kilometers in Hakkari and 209 kilometers in Van.
Regarding the Van border line, construction continues for 92 kilometers of security walls and patrol roads, with 26 kilometers completed as of October.
On the other hand, to enhance surveillance, 223 observation towers equipped with high-tech thermal camera systems have been installed across the eastern and southeastern regions.
Additionally, under the electro-optic tower project that features cameras capable of detecting humans from 10,000 meters and recognizing them from 4,000 meters, 341 towers have been built, 250 of them are located along with the eastern borders.
In western Türkiye, 396 kilometers of patrol roads were built under the Thrace Border Security Systems Project, launched in 2023 to strengthen control along the Bulgarian and Greek borders.
The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and security units require advanced solutions in various missions, including counterterrorism, cross-border missions, combating irregular migration and smuggling, securing temporary and permanent bases, migrant camps, critical facilities, and protecting land and maritime borders.
In this sense, watch towers are among the key elements that provide significant advantages in achieving dominance.
Recently, Türkiye has been a key transit point for irregular migrants who want to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011.
Some migrants make the dangerous journey over land or sea with the assistance of smugglers, who often abandon them, especially during sea journeys, after receiving thousands of dollars from each migrant.
