Top security council addresses terrorism, Gaza crisis

ANKARA

The National Security Council (MGK) has convened to evaluate critical political, military and economic developments pertaining to Türkiye's security, focusing primarily on issues such as terrorism and the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Following the meeting chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the council issued a comprehensive statement addressing issues ranging from counterterrorism efforts to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

"The council was briefed on the operations carried out with determination, resolve and success at home and abroad against all kinds of threats and dangers against our national unity and solidarity and our survival, especially the terrorist organizations PKK, FETÖ and ISIL," read the statement.

"We will continue to confront all terrorist organizations and their affiliates, regardless of time and place, in accordance with our rights under international law."

Regarding regional stability, the council highlighted Türkiye's efforts to promote peace, including recent diplomatic engagements with Iraq to bolster joint initiatives to this end.

The humanitarian crisis in Gaza also drew attention, with officials condemning Israel's actions and warning of the "repercussions on regional peace and security."

"Israel's continued massacres in Gaza will lead to an irreparable disruption of the peace and security environment and the delicate balances in the region and to the spread of conflicts," the statement said.

Furthermore, the council underscored the necessity of ending the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, emphasizing the importance of an immediate ceasefire and a lasting peace agreement to mitigate regional and global risks.

In addressing concerns about the Black Sea region, the council affirmed Türkiye's commitment to upholding the Montreux Convention of 1936, which regulates the passage of warships through the straits during times of conflict.

The clarifications followed recent allegations involving the transit of minehunter ships from the United Kingdom through Turkish waters to reach Ukrainian territory. Turkish defense officials have previously refuted claims of such permission being granted, dismissing reports as unsubstantiated.

The allegations first surfaced in Turkish media after being reported by Chinese outlets. According to the reports, Sandown-class minehunters, part of a U.K. donation to Ukraine, had allegedly transited the Bosphorus and reached Romanian territorial waters.