Ismet Yilmaz

There has been intense activity at the Air Force base in Diyarbakir, Turkey, as Ankara is considering whether to help Iraq in the fight against Islamic State, media sources say.

Aircraft are being regularly scrambled, and troops have been instructed to "react" in case of hostility from IS, according to reports.

Qatar and Turkey, whose bilateral and regional cooperation has become remarkably more visible in recent years, have taken yet another assertive step to deepen their bilateral relations, signing a series of agreements in Ankara, including a joint memorandum to found a "Supreme Strategic Committee."

Turkey is setting its sights on the ambitious target of producing its own local fighter jet to become "fully independent" in its ground, naval and air defense, National Defense Minister İsmet Yılmaz has said.

A government motion for the implementation of a paid military service exemption was approved by Parliament early on Dec. 10.

Defense Minister İsmet Yılmaz admitted during the General Assembly session on Dec. 9 that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) had clearly expressed its disapproval of paid military service exemptions, but defended the bill as necessary.

Turkish Defense Minister İsmet Yılmaz has denied recent claims that his relative had been recruited by the Telecommunications Directorate (TİB) without completing an exam.

The two-day Berlin Security Conference, one of the most prominent forums on European security and defense, is starting on Dec. 2.

Turkey is the partner country of this year's conference, which brings together around 1,000 participants from more than 50 countries.

Turkey's new $615 million, 1,000-room presidential palace is no trifle, so it is perhaps natural for its security to be provided by armed guards who certainly cannot be trifled with.

Defense Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos (photo) and his Turkish counterpart Ismet Yilmaz on Tuesday pledged to work together to boost improving bilateral ties and solve longstanding disagreements in a meeting on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Brussels.

Greece officially offered on Thursday to assist Turkey in its efforts to locate and salvage a Turkish Air Force fighter jet which crashed in the Aegean almost 20 years ago.