Newsletters
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed Monday to share full details of a military cargo plane crash near the Azerbaijan-Georgia border that killed 20 service members, saying investigators are analyzing the aircraft's black box to determine the cause of the tragedy.
Speaking after a Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Complex, Erdogan said the investigation team has collected data that will provide clarity on why the C130 military transport aircraft went down in the Signagi region as it returned from victory celebrations in Azerbaijan.
"In light of the data collected by our accident investigation team and as a result of the black box examination, we will be able to see much more clearly why this tragic incident, in which we lost 20 of our lives as martyrs, occurred," Erdogan said. "We will share these transparently with the public, especially with the families of the martyrs."
The crash occurred after the Turkish delegation attended ceremonies marking the anniversary of Azerbaijan's victory in the 44-day Karabakh conflict. Erdogan noted that Georgia and Azerbaijan mobilized resources immediately after the accident, providing full cooperation in search and rescue operations, securing the crash site, and recovering the black box and remains of the deceased personnel.
Turkish authorities recovered the aircraft's flight data recorder and the remains of all 20 personnel shortly after the crash. The bodies were returned to Türkiye on Friday and received military honors in a ceremony attended by ministers, lawmakers, and military officials.
Erdogan also acknowledged the death of a pilot in a separate incident involving a forest firefighting aircraft that crashed while returning from Croatia. The president quoted a Turkish poet, saying the flag derives its meaning from the blood shed for it, and land becomes a homeland only when people die for it.
"For a thousand years, as it is today, there are many sons of the homeland who perform their duties at the cost of their lives for the peace of our nation and the survival of our state, both within and beyond our borders," Erdogan said.
He expressed gratitude to the families of those killed, praising their composure and dignity in the face of loss. The president also thanked allied and friendly nations that sent condolences and messages of solidarity following the crash.
Shifting to domestic achievements, Erdogan announced that the Presidential Millet Library has become the world's third-largest library with 141.7 million sources. The facility, opened five years ago in Ankara, hosted 2 million visitors last year and has welcomed 8.65 million visitors as of Nov. 15.
The library provides free meals and refreshments to students and researchers, serving two bowls of soup daily along with 15 varieties of beverages and cakes. Since the beginning of the year, the facility has provided 7.34 million free servings.
"These figures alone reveal the deep difference in vision between us and the opposition," Erdogan said, criticizing political rivals for viewing youth as "expendable material" to cover up corruption. "While our political opponents see young people as expendable material and put them forward to whitewash their corruption, we work tirelessly with the understanding that 'our youth is our future' so that they can grow up in the best way in every field."
Public library membership nationwide has reached 7.6 million, with holdings totaling 25.6 million books. An additional 800,000 books currently being distributed will bring that number to 26.4 million by year's end.
Erdogan met Nov. 13 with newly elected North Cyprus President Tufan Erhurman during his first official foreign visit. The two leaders discussed steps toward a fair and lasting solution in Cyprus that aligns with realities on the island.
"If the Greek Cypriot side also shows the courage, will and constructive attitude that the Turkish Cypriots have shown from the very beginning, a permanent, fair and realistic solution based on sovereign equality and equal international status can be found on the island," Erdogan said. "Otherwise, no solution can be built on injustice."
1 min read
The president reiterated Türkiye's position that resolving the Cyprus issue requires recognition of two separate states. He called attempts to rehash previously unsuccessful proposals a waste of time and congratulated North Cyprus on the 42nd anniversary of its declaration of independence.
During other recent activities, Erdogan visited Adiyaman on Nov. 15 to deliver keys for the 350,000th earthquake housing unit built following devastating tremors. A single ceremony saw 45,342 housing units and workplaces handed over, with authorities targeting delivery of 453,000 units before the new year.
The president also highlighted economic achievements, noting that per capita national income approached $17,000 in the second quarter of 2025, while annualized exports reached a record $270.2 billion as of October 2025, up from $36 billion in 2002. In defense, Türkiye now ranks among the world's top three producers of unmanned aerial vehicles and armed drones.
2 min read
