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2,500 Members of Erdogan’s Party Defect, Join Opposition

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (Reuters)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (Reuters)
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2,500 Members of Erdogan’s Party Defect, Join Opposition

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (Reuters)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (Reuters)

Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on Monday witnessed the greatest split in its ranks since its founding in 2001 amid heated inner-party divisions over the policies of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

What possibly played a part in the mass exodus of AKP members are the controversial allegations made by the fugitive mafia boss and whistle-blower Sedat Peker, who is claiming that both incumbent and former AKP ministers and officials are deeply involved in corruption.

Pekar has also made allegations about AKP politicians and numerous government engagements in illegal activities, mafias and organized crime gangs.

AKP lawmaker Fatih Cengiz, of the eastern city of Muş, announced his official resignation from the ruling party and said he joined the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).

Cengiz said that 2,500 AKP members also joined him.

“We set out with the CHP, and we will continue with it until the very end,” said Cengiz at a CHP ceremony for welcoming new members to the center-left party.

In other news, a recent survey conducted by the Eurasia Public Research Center (AKAM) revealed that the People’s Alliance, formed between the AKP and the opposition Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), led by Devlet Bahçeli, continued to shed votes.

The poll results, announced by AKAM President Kemal Özkiraz, showed that while the People’s Alliance votes were showing a downward trend, the Nation Alliance, which includes the CHP and the Good Party, led by Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and Meral Akşener respectively, was gaining traction.

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Two NATO Members Say Russian Drones Have Violated Their Airspace

A local resident walks past a destroyed vehicle following the shelling, which local Russian-installed authorities called a Ukrainian military strike, in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict in Makiivka (Makeyevka) in the Donetsk region, Russian-controlled Ukraine, September 8, 2024. (Reuters)
A local resident walks past a destroyed vehicle following the shelling, which local Russian-installed authorities called a Ukrainian military strike, in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict in Makiivka (Makeyevka) in the Donetsk region, Russian-controlled Ukraine, September 8, 2024. (Reuters)
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Two NATO Members Say Russian Drones Have Violated Their Airspace

A local resident walks past a destroyed vehicle following the shelling, which local Russian-installed authorities called a Ukrainian military strike, in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict in Makiivka (Makeyevka) in the Donetsk region, Russian-controlled Ukraine, September 8, 2024. (Reuters)
A local resident walks past a destroyed vehicle following the shelling, which local Russian-installed authorities called a Ukrainian military strike, in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict in Makiivka (Makeyevka) in the Donetsk region, Russian-controlled Ukraine, September 8, 2024. (Reuters)

Two NATO members said Sunday that Russian drones have violated their airspace, as one reportedly flew into Romania during nighttime attacks on neighboring Ukraine while another crashed in eastern Latvia the previous day.

A drone entered Romanian territory early on Sunday as Moscow struck “civilian targets and port infrastructure” across the Danube in Ukraine, Romania's Ministry of National Defense reported. It added Bucharest had deployed F-16 warplanes to monitor its airspace and issued text alerts to residents of two eastern regions.

It also said investigations were underway of a potential “impact zone” in an uninhabited zone along the Romanian-Ukrainian border. There were no immediate reports of any casualties or damage.

Later on Sunday, Latvia’s Defense Minister Andris Sprūds said that a Russian drone fell the day before near the town of Rezekne, and had likely strayed into Latvia from neighboring Belarus.

Rezekne, home to over 25,000 people, lies some 55 kilometers (34 miles) west of Russia and around 75 kilometers (47 miles) from Belarus, the Kremlin’s close and dependent ally.

While the incursion into Latvian airspace appeared to be a rare incident, Romania has confirmed drone fragments on its territory on several occasions since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, as recently as July this year.

Mircea Geoana, NATO's outgoing deputy secretary-general and Romania's former top diplomat, said on Sunday morning that the military alliance condemned Russia’s violation of Romanian airspace. “While we have no information indicating an intentional attack by Russia against Allies, these acts are irresponsible and potentially dangerous,” he wrote on X.

Latvia's military on Sunday similarly said that there were no indications that Moscow or Minsk purposely sent a drone into the country. In a public statement, the military said it had identified the crash site, and that a probe was ongoing.

Sprūds, the Latvian defense minister, sought to downplay the significance of the drone incursion.

“I can confirm that there are no victims here and also no property is infringed in any way,” Defense Minister Andris Sprūds told the Latvian Radio on Sunday, adding that any risks in the event were immediately eliminated: “Of course, it is a serious incident, as it is once again a reminder of what kind of neighboring countries we live next to.”