Spokesperson of the Ministry of National Defense, Rear Admiral Zeki Aktürk, held a weekly press briefing at the Martyr Journalist Hasan Tahsin Press Information Hall of the Ministry of National Defense.
Aktürk expressed his condolences to the families of Infantry Specialist Sergeant Yusuf Güneş, who fell ill during his duty and was hospitalized despite the interventions and was martyred on October 11, and Infantry Specialist Sergeant Mustafa Aslan, who was martyred on October 14 in the hospital where he was injured in a gun accident in the Claw-Lock Operation Zone.
Stating that the Turkish Armed Forces contribute to the maintenance of peace and stability in a wide geography within the scope of international duties and bilateral relations, Aktürk stated that the Commandership of the Kosovo Peace Force (KFOR), which Turkey assumed for the second time on October 3, 2025, was transferred to Italy with the handover ceremony held on October 14.
Stating that the Chief of General Staff also attended the handover ceremony, Aktürk stated that Turkey will continue to contribute to the security of NATO and the Euro-Atlantic region.
"A MORE DETERMINED ATTITUDE TOWARDS ISRAEL..."
Making evaluations regarding the developments in the Middle East, Aktürk said:
"Israel, which has endangered the security and stability of our region since October 7, 2023, continues its massacres and provocative discourses today. Israel, which has endangered the security and stability of our region since October 7, 2023, continues its massacres and provocative discourses today. The number of Palestinians who lost their lives and were forced to be forcibly removed from their homes and dormitories is increasing day by day due to Israel's inhumane attacks.
"We emphasize once again that the international community must take a more determined stance against Israel in order not to ignore the suffering of the Palestinian people and to end Israel's attacks that exceed its limits, disregard human values and keep our region in chaos."
"THE ATTACKS IN SAUDI ARABIA ARE CLEAR VIOLATIONS"
Aktürk expressed his condolences to those who lost their lives in the Houthi attacks targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.
Stating that attacks targeting civilian infrastructure and civilians are a clear violation of international and humanitarian law, Aktürk stated that these attacks further escalate the tension in the region and must end as soon as possible.
"WITH THE SCOPE OF MECCA DEFENSE ALLIANCE..."
After the meeting, journalists' questions were answered by the Ministry of National Defense.
When asked about the process regarding the Mecca Defense Alliance, the Ministry of National Defense made the following evaluations:
"The process regarding the military forces and capabilities that can be provided by Türkiye to Saudi Arabia within the scope of the Mecca Defense Alliance will be carried out in line with our Constitution and relevant legislative provisions.
In this context, the Agreement must be approved by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and the necessary authorization processes for sending the Turkish Armed Forces abroad must be completed. "The principles regarding the scope of the contribution that can be provided will be determined in line with the evaluations to be made by our relevant authorities and the agreement between the parties, taking into account the needs and demands of Saudi Arabia, developments in the field and operational needs."
"OUR CONTACTS REGARDING F-35 SUPPLY CONTINUE WITH US AUTHORITIES"
Regarding the F-35 supply and CAATSA sanctions, it was stated: "Our contacts regarding the delivery of 6 F-35 warplanes produced for our country are continuing with the US authorities. As we have stated before, our expectation is to remove all direct or indirect restrictions on our defense industry through CAATSA sanctions, which are incompatible with the spirit of alliance. We expect the process to result positively in line with our alliance relations and mutual interests."
"THE FIRST TWO C-130J-30 AIRCRAFT ARE PLANNED TO BE DELIVERED IN DECEMBER 2026"
The following statements were made regarding the C-130J supply:
"The 12 C-130J-30 aircraft supplied from England in order to meet the operational needs of our Air Forces Command will make a significant contribution to the air transportation capability of our Turkish Armed Forces with their increased carrying capacity. The maintenance, renovation and modification operations of the aircraft are carried out by the manufacturer in England, and these activities are monitored and controlled by our authorized Air Forces Command personnel.
After the aircraft are included in the inventory, flight, maintenance and repair activities will be carried out with our own means and capabilities. In this context, it is planned to complete the training of our pilots, flight crew, maintenance personnel and engineers by the end of 2026, and the first two aircraft will be delivered in December 2026."
