30 PKK fighters destroy weapons at ceremony
The ceremony marked a major step in the transition of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) from armed insurgency to democratic politics as part of a broader effort to end conflicts.
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Gulf Insider
26-07-2025
- Gulf Insider
Turkey Showcases New Hypersonic Weapon Amid Standoff With Israel Over Syria
Turkey this week unveiled a range of ballistic missiles and other advanced ordnance at a national arms fair, as the recent Israel-Iran conflict has pushed regional tensions to the brink. Turkish defense manufacturer Roketsan showcased several new systems, including air-to-air missiles, ballistic missiles, and a hypersonic weapon. While Ankara has been producing Tayfun-type ballistic missiles for some time, the latest variant, known as the Tayfun Block 4, is notable for its hypersonic capabilities. Weighing 7.2 tonnes and measuring 10 metres in length, the missile is estimated to have a range of 1,000 kilometers. The unveiling of the Tayfun Block 4 has generated significant media attention, especially as Iran's use of ballistic and hypersonic missiles against Israel remains under close scrutiny across the region. Despite Iran's vulnerable air defenses, it has effectively employed such weapons to strike deep into Israel, including targets in Tel Aviv. 'In today's modern battlefield, the importance of hypersonic ballistic missiles has become abundantly clear, as recent events have shown,' said Murat Ikinci, general manager of Roketsan, at the International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) on Tuesday. He added that the new missile would serve as a force multiplier for the Turkish military. Haluk Gorgun, president of Turkey's Defence Industry Agency, told reporters that several additional missile and hypersonic weapon projects are under way and will be unveiled to the public in due course. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in June that Turkey would strengthen its deterrence by increasing its stockpile of medium- and long-range missiles. In January, Erdogan announced that Ankara had successfully developed a new missile called Cenk, with a 2,000-kilometre range, intended for use in Turkey's space programme. New range of weapons At the defense fair, Roketsan also introduced the 300 ER air-launched missile, capable of striking targets over 500 kilometers away when deployed from platforms such as fighter jets and drones. During recent hostilities, Israel is believed to have used similar missiles to strike targets near the Iraqi border from a safe distance. Meanwhile, the United States has deployed its own bunker buster munition, the GBU-57 A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator, in strikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities. Additionally, Roketsan unveiled the development of the Simsek-2 satellite launch vehicle, an advanced two-stage, liquid-fuelled system capable of carrying a 1.5-tonne payload to an orbit above 700 kilometres. This marks a significant milestone in Turkey's space technology ambitions. Turkey's Ministry of Defense R&D division also highlighted its latest generation of penetrating munitions, known as NEB. Nilufer Kuzulu, director of the R&D division, explained that the warheads have remained largely out of public view until now, due to the lengthy processes of completion, certification and qualification, following 12 years of development. 'We conducted firing tests against concrete blocks reinforced with C50-grade concrete and 22-millimetre ribbed steel. The NEB we produced penetrated 7 metres into the target,' Kuzulu said. 'Afterward, the main core continued through additional 1.5-tonne concrete blocks and exited, reaching all the way to the sandpit – an extremely challenging accomplishment.' Kuzulu added that the bunker-buster bomb was subsequently tested in an air-drop scenario. 'In this test, our product advanced about 90 meters through a rocky area and even shattered the far side of the rocks,' he said.
Gulf Insider
24-07-2025
- Gulf Insider
Turkey Commits Military Support To 'New' Post-Assad Syria With Saudis Pledging $4BN In Investment
Turkey and Saudi Arabia have indicated this week they are preparing to ramp up their investment and military support to post-Assad Syria, which is under the new regime of President al-Sharaa and his Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (rebranded Syrian al-Qaeda). These very countries helped spearhead the effort alongside US intelligence to remove Assad – who fled the country on December 8. Turkey's Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday that it will provide military assistance to Syria to help 'combat terrorism'. But the reality is that Turkey had long opened a 'jihadi highway' throughout years of the Syrian proxy war which helped cement the rise of ISIS and Syria becoming a hotbed of foreign fighters. Turkey claims Damascus is requesting urgent security assistance. 'In response to this request, we are continuing our efforts to offer training, consulting, and technical assistance to enhance Syria's defense capacity,' a Turkish defense official said. Ankara says its main objective is to uphold Syria's political unity and territorial integrity and to spearhead efforts toward long-lasting peace in the region. But the reality is that Turkey and Israel are in effect dividing of the spoils of post-Assad Syria, and Israel has been signaling its 'red line' over and against Turkish aims. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has recently pledged that Turkey's military will 'not allow terrorists to drag Syria back into chaos and instability.' Turkey has long occupied portions of northern Syria, precisely where terrorists have operated and conducted mass killings – particularly targeting Kurds and minority groups like Christians and Alawites. Regarding recent sectarian killings and unrest in Suwayda province and Israel's intensified strikes on Damascus, Turkish officials warned that these actions have exacerbated tensions between Druze groups and the Syrian government. But it is the HTS Syrian government which have committed the bulk of atrocities carried out against Druze civilians and even clerics. In the north, there's currently a deal underway for the Kurdish YPG – affiliated with the outlawed PKK – to lay down its arms, which it has been resistant to. At the same time there's a Pentagon presence in northern Syria and in the east, and the occupation shows no signs of withdrawing. Saudi Arabia too is eyeing greater participation in the supposedly 'new Syria' – now that Assad has exited: Saudi Arabia's investment minister led a business delegation travelling to Syria on Wednesday, where they were expected to sign deals worth around $4 billion as part of Riyadh's efforts to support the country's post-war recovery. The Gulf kingdom has been a crucial supporter of interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa's government, which came to power after toppling longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December and is now seeking to rebuild Syria after a 14-year civil war. Of course, this was largely the plan all along – for regional powers to 'divide and rule' Syria, after it was brought to its knees after years of proxy war and unprecedented US-led sanctions. Meanwhile the US promptly removed these posters… From a US and Israeli perspective, this was to break the so-called 'Iran/Shia axis' in the region which heavily supported Lebanese Hezbollah. The CIA dubbed this operation 'Timber Sycamore' – according to earlier confirmation in The New York Times and others.
Gulf Insider
22-07-2025
- Gulf Insider
EU Relaxes Schengen Visa Rules for Some Citizens
The European Union has relaxed visa requirements for Turkish citizens seeking to enter the Schengen area, with new measures taking effect from July 15, aimed at addressing long-standing complaints about bureaucratic delays. EU Ambassador to Turkey Thomas Hans Ossowski announced the changes on Friday, describing them as a step towards resolving issues that have frustrated Turkish travellers for years, Reuters reported. The European Commission's decision simplifies the process for obtaining multiple-entry visas to the 27-country bloc. Unified visa for UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman launching 'soon' says GCC chief Under the new system, Turkish citizens who have previously used visas correctly can obtain a six-month visa from their second application. This can then be extended to one-year, three-year and five-year multiple-entry visas in subsequent applications. 'It will be much easier and much faster for Turkish citizens,' Ossowski told reporters in Ankara. The ambassador acknowledged the changes would help address Turkish complaints about lengthy bureaucratic processes but warned the measures would not permanently solve all problems. For years, Turkish citizens have faced delays in the EU's visa system, which operates through accredited visa agencies that have struggled with high application volumes. Turkey's foreign ministry welcomed the move and confirmed that Turkish institutions and the EU Commission would continue seeking further visa relaxation measures. Trade Minister Omer Bolat described the decision as a 'facilitation that our citizens have been awaiting for a long time.' Speaking to the state-owned Anadolu news agency, Bolat also said Turkey wanted to begin talks on modernising its customs union with the EU and expanding the accord to include service and e-commerce sectors. The visa changes come amid signs of renewed engagement between Turkey and the EU after years of strained relations. Turkey has held EU membership candidate status since 1999, but its accession process has been frozen over concerns including human rights and democratic backsliding. Recent months have seen increased economic cooperation and diplomatic engagement. Ossowski emphasised that the EU has offered Turkey visa-free travel prospects for more than a decade and called for urgent revival of the liberalisation process. 'Every other candidate country has visa-free travel except Turkey,' he said. 'It is urgent to re-engage in this process of visa-free travel in the Schengen space and the EU.' The European Commission plans to restart formal negotiations after the summer break and will work with Ankara on fulfilling six remaining benchmarks required by the visa liberalisation roadmap, according to Ossowski. 'We are ready, the Commission is ready to work closely with Turkish authorities,' he said. The EU and Turkey have been discussing possible workarounds to address the slow processing times that have affected Turkish visa applications due to high demand. Also read: Turkey Becomes First Country To Block Grok After The AI Bot Insults Erdoğan
