By Bosphorus News Geopolitics Desk
On October 13, 2026, Türkiye's Fund Coordination Board confirmed 6.4 billion lira in payments to 43,643 investors, while a ruling-party official said asset measures had reached 254 people. Erdoğan pledged support to Saudi Arabia, Cyprus leaders agreed to meet again, and attacks off Bulgaria prompted calls for maritime-security talks with Türkiye.
Türkiye | Board Confirms 6.4 Billion Lira Paid as Fund Probe Widens
Türkiye's Fund Coordination Board said on October 13 that Ziraat Bankası had paid 6.4 billion lira to 43,643 investors in funds managed by A1, Bulls and Pardus the previous week. It aims to complete a further 34.1 billion lira in liquidations across 49 funds by the end of this week. A bill governing the remaining payments is scheduled for discussion in parliament's Plan and Budget Committee on October 14.
Separately, AK Party Deputy Chairman Kürşad Zorlu said authorities had frozen or seized assets belonging to 254 people, 87 suspects were under arrest and payments had begun for a wider group of around 355,000 investors. Karar reported asset measures against 141 people, including former minister Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya and her husband İlyas Kaya, who reportedly transferred 1.86 billion lira to a voluntary repayment account. The 141-person list has not been reconciled with Zorlu's 254-person figure. His 355,000-investor figure is not the number of people confirmed to have received the 6.4 billion lira. The investigation follows earlier warnings about Türkiye's investment-fund market.
Mecca Pact | Erdoğan Calls Saudi Crown Prince as Military Support Dispute Grows
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on October 13 that Türkiye stood with the kingdom following Houthi attacks. On October 12, Erdoğan said the Mecca defense agreement between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan would soon be submitted to parliament.
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli urged all possible military support for Saudi Arabia. Yeni Parti leader Özgür Özel opposed sending Turkish troops to Yemen, and Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) co-chair Tülay Hatimoğulları called for mediation. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has ruled out a Turkish offensive operation. No troop deployment has been announced.
Cyprus | Leaders Agree to Meet Again Without Crossing Deal
Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman and Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides met at the former Nicosia airport on October 13 under United Nations (UN) auspices. They agreed to attend a bicommunal event in Pyla/Pile, join forthcoming technical-committee meetings and meet again the following week, according to the UN account.
Erhürman sought progress on seven measures raised by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, saying the Turkish Cypriot side had accepted six in principle. Christodoulides said some of his 19 proposals had received positive responses, others negative responses, and some needed further consideration. These were his descriptions of the exchanges, not a joint agreement. The meeting produced no agreement on the Haspolat/Mia Milia, Akıncılar/Louroujina or Athienou–Pyroi–Aglandjia crossings. Their disagreement over the seven UN proposals continues.
GSI | Greek Minister Sees Progress but Gives No Survey Date
Greek Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou said on October 13 that French investor Meridiam's involvement had improved prospects for the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI). He said the project's operator would determine the next steps, without announcing a date for seabed surveys.
MHP leader Devlet Bahçeli objected to survey work in maritime areas claimed by Türkiye. Ankara says activities there require advance diplomatic contact from the vessel's flag state, the issue at the centre of the dispute over cable survey notifications. No new navigational warning (NAVTEX) or completed notification was verified on October 13.
US–Greece | White House Asks Guilfoyle to Resign
The White House confirmed on October 13 that it had asked US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle to resign. Guilfoyle denied allegations about her conduct and fundraising. She wrote that her time as ambassador "may be coming to an end" and cited US–Greek defense ties, liquefied natural gas and the Vertical Corridor among the projects she supported.
Gabriel Sakellaridis of Greece's New Left criticized the Mitsotakis government's response and its energy agreements with Washington. His remarks are political allegations. The resignation request moves the Guilfoyle removal case beyond the earlier consideration stage; no completed handover or successor has been announced.
Greece | Navy Presents Pyrpolitis Unmanned Vessel
Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias opened a training centre for unmanned and autonomous maritime systems at Skaramangas on October 13. The Hellenic Navy also presented Pyrpolitis, a domestically developed unmanned surface vessel designed for reconnaissance and potential action against surface targets.
Public broadcaster ERT reported that the vessel is about five metres long and can exceed 40 knots. Dendias said testing would precede larger-scale production. No operational deployment was announced.
Iraq | PKK Reportedly Vacates Four Sites in Metina
Turkish security sources said the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) vacated four sites in northern Iraq's Metina area on October 8. Anadolu Agency reported the withdrawal on October 12; no independent site inspection has been made public.
The report provides no verified account of weapons surrendered or of the PKK's remaining arsenal.
KFOR | Türkiye to Hand Kosovo Command to Italy on October 14
Turkish Major General Özkan Ulutaş is due to transfer command of the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) to Italian Major General Roberto Vergori on October 14. NATO says changes to the mission's force structure depend on security conditions and can be reversed.
Turkish Brigadier General Onur Çakıcı has been designated deputy commander in the incoming team, leaving Türkiye represented in KFOR's senior command after the handover.
Black Sea | Bulgaria Seeks Talks With Türkiye After Ship Attacks
Drone attacks struck two merchant ships off Bulgaria on October 13, sinking one and damaging the other. Bulgarian officials reported five people rescued and 11 missing from the sunken vessel. All 15 crew aboard Chelsea 3 were evacuated. Early reports conflicted over the name of the ship that sank.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev sought NATO and European Union support and called for maritime-security talks with Türkiye and Romania. Responsibility for the strikes had not been established. Ankara's separate proposal to Moscow and Kyiv to protect civilian shipping has yet to produce an agreement.
NATO | Greek and Black Sea Units Join NUSRET-2026 in Türkiye
Türkiye hosted NUSRET-2026's distinguished visitors' day off Foça on October 13. Greek naval units joined NATO mine-countermeasures forces, with Turkish, Romanian and Bulgarian participation tied to Black Sea mine security. Turkish crews demonstrated mine detection and disposal using the MALAMAN seabed mine in an exercise scenario.
Syrian Navy Commander Brigadier General Mohammed al-Saud attended aboard the Turkish frigate TCG Salihreis, where Turkish Navy Commander Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu hosted visitors. No new Türkiye–Syria naval agreement was announced. The exercise had been scheduled before the latest Black Sea merchant-ship attacks.
Poland | Two Turkish Citizens Detained in Starlink Arson Probe
German police detained two Turkish citizens at Poland's request over a September fire at a Starlink ground station in Wola Krobowska. Polish public broadcaster TVP reported that a woman was later detained in Berlin. Reports differed over the total number of detainees; the investigation's latest arrest count has not been established from a consolidated official record.
Polish officials suspect Russian intelligence involvement, which Moscow denies. The investigation concerns communications infrastructure supporting Ukraine. Neither the suspects' guilt nor the alleged intelligence link has been established in court.
Cyprus Military | Akdeniz Fırtınası and IRIS Drills Continue
Turkish and Turkish Cypriot forces are conducting Akdeniz Fırtınası-2026 in northern Cyprus from October 12 to 16. Activities include air-assault training, combat search and rescue, armoured manoeuvres and combined-force coordination. A distinguished visitors' day is set for October 15.
The Republic of Cyprus National Guard is conducting IRIS-2026, including live-fire exercises at Kalo Chorio. Neither force has identified its exercise as a direct response to the other.
Northern Cyprus | Kalecik Plant Plans 35 MW Expansion
Aksa Energy plans to add 35 megawatts to its Kalecik power plant under a supplementary agreement with the Turkish Cypriot electricity authority, Kıbrıs Türk Elektrik Kurumu (KIB-TEK). Capacity would increase from 188 to 223 megawatts.
Aksa says the plant supplies roughly half of northern Cyprus's electricity. The expansion is separate from the proposed Türkiye–TRNC offshore gas pipeline, which remains in planning.
Cyprus–Türkiye | Republic of Cyprus Receives Antalya COP31 Invitation
Republic of Cyprus Government Spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis confirmed that President Nikos Christodoulides had received an invitation to the COP31 UN climate conference in Antalya. The invitation followed contacts with European Union institutions and member states.
The government has not said whether Christodoulides will attend or meet Erdoğan. Türkiye does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus.
Energy | Bayraktar Discusses Gulf Cooperation and Power Link
Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar met counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Uzbekistan and Libya in Riyadh to discuss electricity, renewables and hydrocarbons. No agreements were announced following those meetings.
Bayraktar also discussed a proposed electricity link through Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria and Türkiye. Its route, financing and construction schedule remain unspecified. The Republic of Cyprus signed a separate energy cooperation memorandum with Saudi Arabia on October 12. Neither government has connected the two projects.
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Erdoğan's pledge to Saudi Arabia has opened a domestic dispute over what military assistance Türkiye would provide. Bulgaria, facing attacks on commercial shipping, wants Ankara and Bucharest involved in maritime security talks. No Turkish troop deployment or new Black Sea protection agreement has been announced.
Erhürman and Christodoulides left their meeting with dates for further contact but no crossing agreement. In the Aegean energy file, Athens has yet to set a date for renewed GSI seabed surveys or issue a confirmed new NAVTEX.
Sources: Anadolu Agency, TRT Haber, Türkiye's Communications Directorate, Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, Republic of Cyprus Presidency, Turkish Cypriot Presidency, Bayrak Radio and Television Corporation, Greek Defense Ministry, Greek Environment and Energy Ministry, Türkiye Ministry of National Defence, NATO, KFOR, Associated Press, Reuters, Karar, Cyprus Mail, Aksa Energy, Bosphorus News review and reporting.
Read Yesterday's brief: Eastern Mediterranean Strategic Brief | October 12, 2026: Cyprus, Riyadh, Aegean & Hormuz Top The Agenda.