High-level delegations from Turkey, Jordan, Syria and Iraq will meet in Amman on Sunday to discuss security cooperation and regional developments, Reuters reported on Saturday, citing a Turkish diplomatic source.
Last month Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the four countries would take steps toward jointly combating the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the region and that they intended to hold a first meeting on the issue in Jordan.
Foreign ministers will attend the meeting as well as defense ministers or military commanders, along with the heads of intelligence organizations of the four countries, the anonymous source told Reuters.
The officials will discuss cooperation in the areas of security, combating terrorism and organized crime as well as regional developments, Reuters cited the source as saying.
Since the ousting of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December, Western and regional countries have warned of a possible resurgence of ISIL.
Thousands of members of the militant group are being held in prison camps in northeast Syria, guarded by the US-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Turkey regards the SDF and the YPG militia that spearheads the group as terrorists, and says the prisons must be handed over to Syria’s new leadership and that the YPG should disarm.
İstanbul's Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu delivers a speech during a demonstration following the arrest of the Mayor of Esenyurt, at the Esenyurt Square in İstanbul, on October 31, 2024. (Photo by Yasin AKGUL / AFP)
İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, considered the strongest opposition contender against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, kicked off his campaign Saturday to secure the presidential nomination of Turkey’s main opposition party, vowing Erdoğan’s time in power has come to an end.
Speaking to supporters, İmamoğlu vowed to restore democracy, justice and national unity, accusing Erdoğan’s administration of undermining Turkey’s democratic foundations through political pressure and divisive policies.
“We are here not only to win an election but also to regain our national unity and brotherhood,” İmamoğlu said. “This election is a democratic revolution.”
İmamoğlu urged members of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) to actively participate in the March 23 primaries, marking the first time in CHP history that the presidential candidate will be chosen directly by party members.
Later in his speech İmamoğlu alleged that Erdoğan’s government had recently seized the assets and bank accounts of numerous people associated with him, describing these actions as intimidation tactics against opposition supporters.
İmamoğlu, who rose to national prominence after defeating Erdoğan’s candidate in İstanbul’s 2019 mayoral race, is widely viewed as the opposition figure most capable of unseating Erdoğan, who has been in power for over two decades.
Turkey’s next presidential election is officially scheduled for 2028, but speculation is mounting that President Erdoğan may call an early vote. Although Erdoğan is constitutionally barred from seeking another term, observers expect he will attempt to circumvent these restrictions.