ISTANBUL: Turkiye and Armenia will formally resume trade relations after a 33-year freeze as part of a rapprochement between the two countries, a Turkish foreign ministry spokesman said on Wednesday. Turkiye shut its border with Armenia in 1993 in support of its ally Azerbaijan, which was at war with Armenia over Karabakh. Turkiye&nbsp;and Armenia have been cautiously moving towards rapprochement since late 2021, a year after Armenia was defeated by Azerbaijan in a fresh conflict over that disputed territory. &quot;Within the framework of our normalisation process with Armenia that has been ongoing since 2022... the bureaucratic preparations regarding the initiation of direct trade between our country and Armenia have been completed as of May 11,&quot; foreign ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli said on X. Trade had already been passing between Turkiye and Armenia via Georgia, with taxes imposed in the transit country. But under the new regulation, goods can be formally designated as direct exports from Turkiye to Armenia, with the origin and final destination listed as being in those countries. Trade will continue to transit through an unspecified third country due to the lack of a functional border crossing. &quot;The necessary technical and bureaucratic work toward opening the common border between the two countries is still ongoing,&quot; the spokesman said. Turkiye&nbsp;and Armenia also share a border with Iran. Armenia welcomed Turkiye&#39;s decision &quot;to lift the bans on bilateral trade with Armenia&quot;, its foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement. The spokesperson described it as an &quot;important step towards the development of full-fledged and normal relations between the two countries&quot;. Ankara&#39;s latest announcement marks a new step toward normalisation between Ankara and Yerevan after Azerbaijan&#39;s seizure of Karabakh, which saw most of the Armenian population leave. Last month, Armenia and Turkiye decided to put the Kars-Gyumri railway line back into service on both sides of their border. Turkiye&#39;s&nbsp;national carrier, Turkish Airlines, operated its first direct flight between Istanbul and Yerevan in March. But the two sides remain divided over history. The Armenians say 1.5 million of their people were killed under the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1917 and seek international recognition that it was genocide. Turkiye&nbsp;strongly denies the accusation of genocide and disputes the numbers, saying that the Armenians were among hundreds of thousands of people who died in the turmoil of World War I as the Ottoman Empire disintegrated.

Central Asia

Middle East

Turkiye, Armenia resume formal trade relations after 33 years amid normalization efforts between longtime rivals

Turkiye and Armenia to restart direct trade: Ankara

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Turkey unveiled its first intercontinental ballistic missile as the country&rsquo;s defense industry showcased an extensive range of next-generation missiles, loitering munitions, and naval systems on the opening day of the SAHA 2026 International Defense and Aerospace Exhibition on Tuesday, Turkish media reported. The missile, named Yildirimhan, has a reported range of about 6,000 kilometers and a speed between Mach 9 and Mach 25, Daily Sabah said, citing Anadolu Agency. Developed by the defense ministry&rsquo;s research and development center, the system was publicly displayed for the first time at the Istanbul Expo Center. <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2051595256739885383&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=a23dda0325938b3ad6c21cea4c55302a2773fddf&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 897px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2051595256739885383"></iframe></div></div> According to TRT World, the Yildirimhan uses liquid nitrogen tetroxide as fuel and is powered by four rocket engines. It is said to be one of Turkiye&rsquo;s most advanced long-range missile platforms to date. Alongside the missile, drone maker Baykar introduced three new products: the K2 kamikaze unmanned aerial vehicle, Mizrak, and Sivrisinek loitering munitions, Anadolu Agency reported. The K2 is designed for swarm operations in contested environments and can carry more than 200 kilograms of payload, while Mizrak is said to have a range exceeding 1,000 kilometers. Sivrisinek combines reconnaissance and strike capabilities for tactical missions. Baykar also displayed its existing platforms, including the Bayraktar TB2, TB3, Akinci, and Kizilelma, as well as the Kemankes mini-cruise missiles, according to the report. Kayaci Defense unveiled Cellat, a kamikaze unmanned surface vessel capable of speeds of nearly 50 knots and a range of 450 nautical miles, Anadolu Agency said. Meanwhile, Aselsan introduced Kilic, described as Turkiye&rsquo;s first kamikaze autonomous underwater vehicle, and Tufan, a kamikaze unmanned surface vehicle capable of swarm operations and strike missions, the agency reported. In the land systems segment, BMC unveiled the Pamir 4x4 personnel carrier, capable of speeds up to 120 kilometers per hour and a range of 600 kilometers, the report said. In the field of space technology, Spacrol introduced Sacstor, a satellite attitude simulator designed to replicate space-like conditions for CubeSats and other platforms. Separately, officials at the exhibition said Turkiye aims to rank among the world&rsquo;s top 10 defense and aerospace exporters as it expands capabilities in missiles, unmanned systems, and space technologies.

Turkish defense firms unveil cutting-edge missiles, kamikaze drones, sea systems at SAHA 2026 in Istanbul on May 5, 2026 (Photo: Anadolu Agency)

Artificial Intelligence

Country’s defense industry showcases wide range of next-generation missiles, loitering munitions, and naval systems on the opening day of the SAHA 2026 International Defense and Aerospace Exhibition.

Turkiye’s first intercontinental ballistic missile takes center stage at defense expo

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday extended condolences to Turkiye following deadly floods and extreme weather that hit several southern provinces, leaving casualties and damage in their wake. In a post on X, Sharif conveyed sympathies on behalf of the government and people of Pakistan to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Turkish nation, describing Erdogan as a &ldquo;dear brother&rdquo; and expressing sorrow over the loss of lives and property. The floods affected provinces including Gaziantep, Sanliurfa and Adiyaman, as well as surrounding areas. &ldquo;Pakistan stands in full solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Turkiye in this hour of grief,&rdquo; Sharif said, adding that his thoughts and prayers are with the victims&rsquo; families and those affected by this natural calamity.&nbsp; <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2051539628365435172&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=f7c548893efd43ef819eecfc9c3e1ebbf909a86b&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 345px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>He also said Pakistan is ready to provide humanitarian and material assistance to support Turkiye&rsquo;s relief and recovery efforts.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif speaks during the federal cabinet meeting in Islamabad on April 3, 2024. (Photo courtesy: PMO)

Foreign Affairs

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expresses condolences and solidarity with Turkiye after deadly floods, offering assistance for relief efforts.

Pakistan PM offers condolences to Turkiye over deadly floods

LAGOS: Nigeria and Turkiye have struck a defense agreement to help Africa&#39;s most populous nation fight its 17-year-long insurgency, the Nigerian defense minister said on Saturday. &quot;We have agreed to move into training, production, and improving on our defense industry cooperation,&quot; Christopher Musa told Turkish media while on a trip to Antalya, according to the Anadolu agency. Musa stated that 200 members of the Nigerian Army&#39;s Special Forces would be sent to Turkiye for training. Nigeria&#39;s longstanding security woes have drawn the ire of the United States in recent months, with President Donald Trump claiming that the country&#39;s Christians face &quot;persecution.&quot; Both the Nigerian government and experts have rejected that argument, pointing out that the multi-religious country&#39;s overlapping conflicts kill Christians and Muslims alike. Yet the West African country has still managed to find common ground with Washington on defense, with the US deploying around 200 soldiers to the country and launching Christmas Day airstrikes on the northern state of Sokoto last year. Besides radical Islamists from Boko Haram and its rival splinter group, the Islamic State West Africa Province, Nigeria is also plagued by gangs of armed criminals known as bandits who pillage, kill and kidnap in the northwest. The country also has to contend with the worsening security crisis across the Sahel -- the vast region bordering the southern Sahara desert -- which has allowed militants to expand across West Africa. In an attempt to reduce its reliance on the US, Nigeria has sought to diversify its security partners. Musa&#39;s Turkiye trip comes in the wake of President Bola Tinubu&#39;s visit in late January, the first by a Nigerian head of state in nine years. Turkiye is renowned for its inexpensive armed drones, which it exports in large numbers. &quot;Turkiye has improved dramatically regarding production of military hardware, and Nigeria is still developing,&quot; Musa said, adding that the two countries had agreed to produce some items together.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu witness the signing of nine agreements between Turkiye and Nigeria on January 27, 2026. (File photo: Anadolu Agency)

Africa

Nigerian defense minister says the two countries have agreed to work together to produce some defense items.

Nigeria strikes defense deal with Turkiye

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&#39;s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and his Bangladeshi counterpart Dr Khalilur Rahman exchanged views on regional developments, said a post shared on X by Pakistan&#39;s top diplomat on Friday.&nbsp; In his post, Dar stated: &quot;Pleased to meet Dr. Khalilur Rahman, Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, on the sidelines of #ADF2026 today.&quot; &quot;We discussed strengthening Pakistan&ndash;Bangladesh ties and exchanged views on regional developments, including Pakistan&rsquo;s role in facilitating dialogue.&quot; &quot;I look forward to our continued positive and forward-looking engagement.@AntalyaDF,&quot; Dar added.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2045079112276943229&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=420462fc3fb48d709c7cd70509daeff023269ed3&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2045079112276943229">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Meanwhile, FM Dar also met with Tahsin Ertuğruloğlu, Foreign Minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), on sidelines of Antalya Diplomacy Forum, said a social media post by Pakistan&#39;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday.&nbsp; &quot;Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation across various sectors, particularly for education and welfare of the Pakistani diaspora in the TRNC.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;They also agreed to maintain close engagement and continue working together to promote the mutual benefit of their peoples,&quot; the post said.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2045059709057859624&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=420462fc3fb48d709c7cd70509daeff023269ed3&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2045059709057859624"></iframe></div></div>

Pakistan FM Dar says, 'We discussed strengthening Pakistan–Bangladesh ties and exchanged views on regional developments, including Pakistan’s role in facilitating dialogue.' 

Pakistan, Bangladesh FMs exchange views on regional developments, strengthening ties  

A 14-year-old armed with five guns opened fire at a Turkish school on Wednesday, killing nine people, wounding 13, and sparking scenes of mayhem as students jumped out of windows to escape. The attack in the southern province of Kahramanmaras was Turkiye&#39;s second such incident in as many days, shocking a country where school shootings are a rare occurrence. Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci confirmed nine deaths, with 13 wounded &mdash; six in intensive care, three of them in a critical condition. The minister described the attacker as an &quot;eighth-grade student aged 14.&quot; &quot;A student came to school with guns that we believe belonged to his father in his backpack. He entered two classrooms and opened fire randomly, causing injuries and deaths,&quot; Kahramanmaras province governor Mukerrem Unluer told reporters earlier in the day. Dramatic video footage filmed by a resident of a nearby building and verified by AFP shows students jumping from a first-floor window of the school to escape the gunfire, while dozens of others flee through the courtyard. About 15 gunshots can be heard in the one-and-a-half-minute video. Unluer said the attacker was the son of a former police officer, armed with five guns and seven magazines. He died during the incident. &quot;He shot himself. It is not yet clear whether this was suicide or happened amid the chaos,&quot; he said. Police detained the shooter&#39;s father, Ugur Mersinli, and his mother, the official Anadolu news agency reported. Footage released by DHA private news agency showed a victim in a body bag, as well as parents of students rushing to the scene, some in tears, in the southern province&#39;s main city, Kahramanmaras. The interior and education ministers travelled to the city, while Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said prosecutors had launched an immediate investigation into the shooting. &#39;I am worried&#39;&nbsp;&quot;My child witnessed the scene and said, &#39;Dad, my friend got hurt.&#39; He didn&#39;t see the other children. There was a lot of blood inside. Thank God, I managed to get my child out of there,&quot; Omer Erdag, a parent, told AFP. &quot;Of course, I&#39;m worried. How am I going to bring my kids to this school again?&quot; he asked. &quot;My God help us. It&#39;s terrible,&quot; local resident Zuleyha Bosca said. &quot;Do these violent video games cause psychological problems in children? What exactly is the issue? We don&#39;t know.&quot; Dozens of teachers&#39; unions members rallied outside the education ministry in the capital Ankara on Wednesday, carrying banners that read: &quot;We will not surrender our schools to violence&quot;. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: &quot;In this tragic attack, we unfortunately lost our bright young children and a devoted educator&quot;. He said the incident would be &quot;thoroughly clarified in all its aspects,&quot; in a message on X, while warning that the pain from this attack should &quot;not be politicized.&quot; &#39;Vulnerability&#39;&nbsp;The shooting came a day after an ex-student opened fire with a shotgun at his former high school in Siverek district of Sanliurfa province, in the southeast of the country. That gunman wounded 16 people before killing himself in a showdown with police. Ten students were among the casualties. Police detained one suspect after Tuesday&#39;s attack and suspended four officials from duty. The school was ordered closed for four days. Main opposition CHP leader Ozgur Ozel called for broader security measures. &quot;At this point, it is clearly evident that violence in schools can no longer be explained by isolated incidents,&quot; he wrote on X. &quot;This issue has turned into a growing and deepening security vulnerability,&quot; he said. Measures such as ensuring full control at school entrances and exits, increasing the number of security personnel, strengthening camera systems, intensifying police patrols around schools, and keeping emergency crisis plans ready are now essential, he added. &quot;The security of schools is entrusted to our state. No negligence or deficiency in this regard can be excused anymore,&quot; Ozel said. School shootings in Turkiye had been rare until this week. In May 2024, a former student killed a private high school principal in Istanbul with a firearm five months after he was expelled. Turkiye&nbsp;has strict gun laws that require licensing, registration, mental and criminal background checks, and severe penalties for illegal possession.

Europe

The attack in the southern province of Kahramanmaras province was Turkiye's second such incident in as many days, shocking a country where school shootings are a rare occurrence.

Teenager kills nine, wounds 13 in Turkiye school shooting

DOHA: Three Turkish nationals including a serviceman were on board a helicopter that crashed in Qatar&#39;s territorial waters, alongside three Qatari servicemen, the Gulf country&#39;s defence ministry said on Sunday. The Turkish defence ministry meanwhile said that &quot;a Qatari armed forces helicopter, which was carrying out a training exercise as part of the Qatar-Turkey Joint Forces Command, crashed into the sea&quot;. &quot;A member of the Turkish armed forces and two Aselsan technicians&quot; were killed in the crash, the ministry said, referring to the Turkish defence giant. Five passengers and a pilot were killed, Qatari authorities said, while a second pilot has been reported missing. The Qatari defence ministry had earlier said that the helicopter crashed due to a &quot;technical malfunction&quot; during a routine flight.

Three Turkish nationals, including a serviceman, were on board a helicopter that crashed in Qatar's territorial waters, alongside three Qatari servicemen, due to a technical malfunction.

Three Turks, including serviceman, among dead in Qatar copter crash

Web Desk/AFP

Americas

Blasts were heard in Doha after Qatar's interior ministry said it was evacuating some key areas

All you need to know about Day 14 of US-Israeli war on Iran

DHAKA: Turkish Ambassador to Bangladesh Ramis Sen on Friday paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister&rsquo;s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir and reiterated Turkiye&rsquo;s support for Bangladesh&rsquo;s candidature for the presidency of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for the 2026&ndash;2027 term. The meeting took place at the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office in the capital&rsquo;s Tejgaon area in the afternoon, according to Prime Minister&rsquo;s Deputy Press Secretary Zahidul Islam Rony. During the meeting, both sides explored ways to further strengthen bilateral cooperation. The adviser and the Turkish envoy exchanged views on expanding collaboration in key sectors including trade and investment, defense cooperation, education and cultural exchange, technology, and infrastructure development. They also discussed several regional and global issues, with particular focus on challenges faced by the Muslim world, humanitarian cooperation, and the importance of strengthening mutual support on international platforms. Both sides expressed optimism about further consolidating the historic friendship and cooperation between Bangladesh and Turkiye in the coming years. They reaffirmed their commitment to working together for the welfare of the people of both countries based on mutual respect, trust, and cooperation.

Turkish Ambassador to Bangladesh, Ramis Sen, met with Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs Adviser, Humayun Kabir, today at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in Dhaka. Photo: BSS

Bangladesh

Turkish Ambassador Ramis Sen met Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir in Dhaka and reaffirmed Türkiye’s support for Bangladesh’s candidature for the presidency of the UN General Assembly’s 81st session (2026–2027).

Turkish Envoy reaffirms support for Bangladesh’s UNGA presidency candidature

Pakistan TV Satellite

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Defence Production Raza Hayat Harraj has said that if a trilateral defense cooperation agreement among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye is proposed in the future, Pakistan would welcome it. Talking exclusively in Pakistan TV&rsquo;s programme The Newsroom, the minister said Pakistan enjoys very strong diplomatic and defense relations with both Saudi Arabia and Turkiye, describing them as close allies and reliable friends of the country.&nbsp; &ldquo;An agreement has already been concluded between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. It is a bilateral agreement. If tomorrow, Turkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia come up with a proposal, it will be a very welcoming statement as far as Pakistan is concerned,&rdquo; the minister said, adding that at present there is no trilateral agreement involving the three countries. The Saudi-Pakistan defense agreement was signed between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in Riyadh in September last year, which was described as a &ldquo;strategic mutual defense agreement.&rdquo;&nbsp; The agreement aims to development aspects of defense cooperation between the two countries and strengthen joint deterrence against any aggression. Harraj said Pakistan maintains close defence cooperation with Turkiye, particularly in defence industrial development, and has a similar association with Saudi Arabia. Azerbaijan is also a close partner of Pakistan in terms of defense cooperation, he added. The minister said while a trilateral framework could be a future prospect, any such arrangement would only be considered if and when a formal proposal is presented.&nbsp; &ldquo;We would be willing to deliberate once an opportunity arises,&rdquo; he said, adding that if such an agreement comes forward, it will be left for the relevant stakeholders to scrutinize it. Harraj emphasised that defense-related agreements are considered trade secrets and often involve classified information that cannot be disclosed publicly.&nbsp; Explaining the nature of defense cooperation, the minister said such collaborations can take various forms, including joint exercises, shared production of defense equipment, or joint manufacturing of components.&nbsp; He cited the JF-17 fighter jet programme as an example of successful defense collaboration between Pakistan and China. Reiterating Pakistan&rsquo;s position, Harraj said bilateral defense agreements with Turkiye and Saudi Arabia are independent of each other.

The Newsroom

Federal Minister for Defense Production Raza Hayat Harraj has said that if a trilateral defense cooperation agreement among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye is proposed in the future, Pakistan would welcome it.

Articles tagged with "Turkiye"