Breaking News: Ministry of National Defense issues statement on 'barracks-free paid military service'!

The Ministry of National Defense held its weekly briefing. Speaking at the press conference held at the Ministry, Rear Admiral Zeki Aktürk, Press and Public Relations Advisor and Ministry Spokesperson, provided updates on the latest developments.

Claims regarding barracks-free paid military service were also on the agenda. Ministry sources stated regarding the claim: “According to the provisions of the first paragraph of Article 9 of the Military Service Law No. 7179, the basic training period for those subject to paid military service is one month. Our Ministry has no work underway to abolish basic military training, i.e., for ‘barracks-free paid military service’.”

Rear Admiral Aktürk expressed his condolences for those who lost their lives in the fire in Bolu Kartalkaya and wished a speedy recovery to the injured.

69 TERRORISTS NEUTRALIZED IN THE LAST WEEK

Stating that the fight against terrorist organizations PKK/PYD/YPG/SDG and DAESH is being carried out successfully and without interruption, Rear Admiral Aktürk said, “In the last week, 69 terrorists have been neutralized, and since January 1, a total of 221 terrorists have been neutralized, 64 of them in northern Iraq and 157 in northern Syria.”

1 MORE PKK TERRORIST SURRENDERS

Rear Admiral Aktürk reported that a large number of weapons, ammunition, and living supplies belonging to terrorists were seized in caves identified by the Turkish Armed Forces in the Claw-Lock operation area in northern Iraq. Aktürk also reported that one more PKK terrorist who fled from the shelters in northern Iraq surrendered to the Border Outpost in Şırnak, and gave the message, “Our Turkish Armed Forces’ fight against terrorism will continue with determination and resolve until not a single terrorist remains.”

Rear Admiral Aktürk continued his speech as follows:

“In our borders, which are protected with the most intensive and effective measures in our Republican history; 105 individuals have been apprehended in the last week, and the number of those caught while trying to cross our borders illegally since January 1 has reached 320. Together with the 1,496 individuals prevented in the last week, the number of people prevented this year has reached 5,130. In addition, more than 135 kilograms of drugs (69,550 grams of heroin and 65,550 grams of methamphetamine) were seized in operations carried out during the week.”

Stating that Turkey plays a key role in negotiation processes with the solution proposals it offers in strategically critical regions and the contributions it makes to stability, Rear Admiral Aktürk said, “Our Turkish Armed Forces are successfully serving in a wide geography from Cyprus to Azerbaijan, from Libya to Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina, providing strong support to the just causes of friendly, brotherly, and allied countries; and making significant contributions to the establishment of regional peace and international security. On this occasion, we commemorate with mercy our brothers who were martyred in the massacre that took place in Azerbaijan on January 20, 1990, known as Black January, and we emphasize once again that we will continue to be one and together with Dear Azerbaijan.”

Rear Admiral Aktürk continued his speech as follows:

“Due to the pressure and violence applied by the terrorist organization PKK/PYD/YPG/SDG, the Syrian people have been forcibly displaced, their lands occupied by terrorist organizations, and their natural resources exploited. In Syria, where a new era has begun; we emphasize once again that the occupied lands must be saved from terrorist organizations and given to their true owners, that the voluntary, safe, and dignified return of the Syrian people who were forced to migrate must be ensured, and that we will continue our fight with the preventive and destructive measures we have taken against all elements of the PKK/PYD/YPG/SDG and DAESH in Syria and Iraq that pose a threat to Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as our borders. We hope that the ceasefire agreement reached between Hamas and Israel will be strictly adhered to and that a permanent ceasefire will be achieved. The international community must fulfill its responsibility as soon as possible regarding the uninterrupted and sufficient delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza, which has been suffering for months, and the initiation of a process towards a fair and lasting peace based on a two-state solution. Our country will continue to stand by the Palestinian people as it has done until today.”

Providing information about the schedule of Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler, Rear Admiral Aktürk said, “Our Minister will also receive the Libyan Chief of General Staff, who came to Turkey as the official guest of our Chief of General Staff, today. Our Chief of General Staff, who received the Commander of the Omani Naval Forces on January 20, will host the Libyan Chief of General Staff today. Our Land Forces Commander will meet with the Deputy Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan, who is on an official visit to Ankara today.”

Emphasizing that the Armed Forces are getting stronger every day with domestic and national defense industry products, Rear Admiral Aktürk said, “Various quantities of T-70 General Purpose Helicopters, New Generation T-155 Self-Propelled Fırtına Howitzers, Medium Altitude Air Defense Missile Systems (HİSAR O), and Modern Infantry Rifles (MPT-76 MH) have been added to the inventory by our Land Forces Command.”

Reminding that personnel and military student recruitment activities are continuing as planned, Rear Admiral Aktürk said, “Applications for the National Defense University Military Student Candidate Determination Exam, which started on January 2, can be made until January 27, and applications for the ‘Land Forces Command Specialist Sergeant and Contracted Private Recruitment’, which started on January 9, can be made until January 29.”

PAID MILITARY SERVICE CLASSIFICATION RESULTS ANNOUNCED

Stating that the paid military service classification results will be announced as of today, Rear Admiral Aktürk said, “The results can be learned from the e-Government portal or military branches. If the conscripts request, it is possible for them to change their call-up periods according to the quota status via the e-Government portal (my military service application) and military branches.”

NAVTEX ISSUED BY THE TRNC FOR DRILLING ACTIVITIES IN BLOCK 5

Ministry of National Defense sources, upon questions regarding the Greek Cypriot Administration (GCA) issuing a Navtex for drilling activities in Block 5, located at a point close to the Turkish continental shelf, said:

“The navigation warning issued by the GCA is outside our Maritime Jurisdiction Area and is 11.5 miles, or approximately 22 kilometers, to the south. In this context, we are closely following the activities of the ship in question, which began on January 19, 2025.

The rights and interests of our country and the TRNC will continue to be defended with determination, and any violation against our continental shelf will be immediately prevented on the ground. Our state knows better than anyone. It evaluates the issue in all its dimensions and determines the steps that need to be taken. It will take those steps when the time comes.”

CLAIMS OF BARRACKS-FREE PAID MILITARY SERVICE

Ministry sources also said regarding the claims about Barracks-free Paid Military Service: “According to the provisions of the first paragraph of Article 9 of the Military Service Law No. 7179, the basic training period for those subject to paid military service is one month. Our Ministry has no work underway to abolish basic military training, i.e., for ‘barracks-free paid military service’.”

LATEST SITUATION IN SYRIA AND TSK ACTIVITIES

Ministry sources also shared the following information regarding questions about the latest situation in Syria and the TSK’s activities in the region:

“Our contacts and mutual work with the Syrian administration continue within the scope of strengthening the defense and security capacity of the Syrian Army. The local people, who are the true owners of the regions occupied by the terrorist organization, no longer have any tolerance for the terrorist organization. They want the organization that occupies their lands to leave their lands immediately. Furthermore, the TSK’s mission in Syria continues. Depending on the needs, it is possible for our units in Syria to change their deployment or be assigned to different regions.”

FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM IN NORTHERN IRAQ

Ministry sources, upon questions regarding the latest situation in northern Iraq after the lock was closed, noted the following:

“We had previously stated that the lock was closed and that the work to be done in the region was not yet finished. However, our search and sweep activities continue in the region we have brought under control. We continue to make the caves, shelters, hideouts, and depots we have identified unusable. In addition, our detection and destruction activities for the mines/IEDs heavily booby-trapped by the terrorist organization continue. In addition to these activities, our fortification activities for the security of our units serving there continue. Our work continues in coordination with Iraqi authorities. We are pleased to observe that they are also taking measures in the south of the region where we are conducting operations and in residential areas.

Furthermore, our operations against terrorists located in the south of the Claw-Lock region continue. Our fight will continue with determination until the last terrorist is neutralized.”