Recently, discussions over the potential participation of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) in a possible Gaza Task Force, coupled with ministry officials’ repeated emphasis that the TSK is "ready for duty anytime, anywhere,” have brought renewed attention to Türkiye’s previous and ongoing missions across the world.

"A country’s foreign policy is effective when its elements of national power are strong and act in coordination. Among these elements, military power serves as a source of deterrence and influence in external affairs. The scope and impact of a country’s foreign policy are often shaped by the effectiveness and reach of its military capability,” a professor and military strategist, Ali Fuat Gökçe told Daily Sabah.

Throughout the years, the TSK have operated alongside other militaries in a spirit of solidarity and coordination, carrying out cross-border operations and contributing to the success of NATO missions through training, discipline and modern equipment.

Gökçe stated that Türkiye has significantly bolstered its military capabilities in recent years through domestically developed defense systems, strengthening both its deterrent posture and its leverage in foreign policy across key regions, including Syria, the Caucasus, the Black Sea, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean Sea.

"In what Ankara considers strategically important, such as Somalia, Libya and tensions between Pakistan and India, Türkiye has increasingly emerged not as a passive participant in diplomatic processes, but as a proactive actor shaping negotiations and setting the agenda,” he adds.

The TSK has extensive experience in peace support and international missions across multiple regions serving under the mandates of the United Nations, NATO and other international frameworks, earning recognition for professionalism and impartiality.

"Having extensive experience in the establishment and preservation of peace, the Turkish Armed Forces stand ready for any duty to be assigned,” Defense Ministry officials reiterated several times.

Hüseyin Fazla, founder and director of STRASAM and a retired air force brigadier general, noted that: "Türkiye has expanded the profile of the TSK in peacekeeping and stabilization missions. In overseas deployments under NATO, including KFOR in Kosovo, the European Union’s EUFOR mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and United Nations mandates, Turkish forces have operated with increased situational awareness and modern armored vehicles such as the Kirpi and Vuran, enhancing both security and effectiveness in the field.”

Türkiye’s participation in peace support operations dates back to the Korean War in 1950 and has continued in various forms since. In Bosnia-Herzegovina, Turkish forces were deployed in 1994 under U.N. command and later continued their mission under NATO following the Dayton Peace Agreement. Turkish units were tasked with securing safe areas, supporting humanitarian efforts and helping maintain neutrality among Serb, Bosnian and Croat communities.

In Kosovo, Türkiye has participated in the NATO-led KFOR mission since 1999 under a U.N. Security Council mandate. Turkish forces have supported efforts to establish and maintain a safe and secure environment while also providing training assistance to Kosovo security structures.

While arguing the impacts of strong army capabilities, Gökçe also pointed out that "Despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s warning that tariffs would be increased on countries purchasing natural gas from Russia, Türkiye has faced no direct countermeasures for maintaining its energy ties with Moscow, which supplies more than 40% of its natural gas needs, and for remaining the only NATO member not to impose sanctions on Russia — a position in part to Ankara’s military strength and broader foreign policy leverage.”

Moreover, Fazla said: "In addition, the operational gains the Turkish Armed Forces have accumulated in overseas missions including cross-border operations in Syria and Iraq as part of counterterrorism efforts amount to a valuable reservoir of 'know-how' for allied countries, he said, the expanding body of experience and capabilities has positioned the military not only as a fighting force but increasingly as a center of excellence, with NATO allies turning to it for consultation.

"The adoption of Turkish military doctrine and equipment by foreign personnel trained by the TSK is viewed as playing a critical role in establishing long-term strategic ties between Türkiye and those nations,” he asserted, underlining that Turkish military deployments in Somalia and Qatar, along with advisory activities in Libya, contributed to the reshaping of those countries’ defense architectures.

In Libya, Türkiye has provided training and advisory support to forces aligned with the country’s internationally recognized government. The Turkish Parliament in December 2025 extended the mandate authorizing the deployment of Turkish troops in Libya for an additional two years. Ankara says its presence is based on formal agreements with Libyan authorities and aims to contribute to stability and institutional restructuring.

On the other hand, Fazla also drew attention to the soft power through military channels, noting that at Türkiye’s largest overseas military base, TURKSOM, Somali forces’ elite "Gorgor” commando units have been trained to combat the al-Shabab militant group, while Somali officers and noncommissioned officers receive instruction in Turkish and are educated in line with Turkish military doctrine.

"This process lays the groundwork for a decadeslong alignment in strategic thinking between the Somali Armed Forces’ command structure and the Turkish military, he asserted.

Remarking on the modernization of the defense industry and the correlation between operational and political aims, Fazla indicated that the Turkish navy’s presence on the high seas, including counterpiracy operations off the coast of Somalia and escort missions for seismic research vessels in the Eastern Mediterranean, has enabled Ankara to safeguard its maritime interests not only through diplomatic démarches but through a tangible operational presence.

According to Fazla, "Türkiye’s deployment of an air defense umbrella around Tripoli and the strategic al-Watiya Air Base in Libya was widely described as a landmark demonstration of capability, marking the first time a NATO army established a layered air defense network in the field against Russian- and Chinese-origin aerial platforms, a move that drew attention from allied capitals.”

"Rather than merely showing the flag, Turkish forces now deploy to shape regional dynamics, train and in many cases help restructure host nation militaries, and actively demonstrate domestically produced defense systems in the field,” he concluded.

In addition to ongoing missions in multiple regions, Türkiye has also conducted numerous cross-border operations against the PKK terrorist group and its Syrian branch, the YPG.

The cross-border operations conducted with Iraq’s consent, while others have been justified under the right of hot pursuit and self-defense, including within the framework of a 1984 bilateral security agreement. Since the early 1990s, Ankara has launched a series of operations in northern Iraq – from Operation Steel and Operation Sun to the ongoing Claw operations that began in 2018.

Cross-border campaigns later expanded into northern Syria, including Operations Euphrates Shield, Olive Branch, Peace Spring and Spring Shield between 2015 and 2020.

Following Türkiye’s operations in Syria, the country has started a historic opportunity after the fall of the Assad regime with the new government of President Ahmad al-Sharaa.

Ankara has campaigned for the removal of terrorist groups from its southern border for a long time, accusing foreign powers of giving them room in Syria.

Most recently, NATO stages its biggest exercise this year in Germany, with some 10,000 personnel from 11 countries. Türkiye, which has the defense body’s second-largest army, dispatched 2,000 personnel for Steadfast Dart 2026, which began last week. The exercise, which will continue until Feb. 20, aims to showcase NATO’s ability to deploy rapidly and conduct complex operations, the body said in a statement earlier this month.

It is the first time that Türkiye sent so many troops to Northern Europe, though the country is a major component of NATO at a time of heightened defense worries in Europe.