Turkish member of Parliament Bahadır Nahit Yenişehirlioğlu of Justice and Development Party (AK Party) openly criticized Algeria, accusing it of harboring Kurdish “separatist” elements, which he described as a betrayal of Türkiye’s trust.
Speaking before an audience in Türkiye, Nahit said, “We will continue to fight traitors wherever they are and wherever they go. Türkiye is a strong nation with its proud Turkish sons and will never allow Kurdish separatists to establish their state on Turkish soil.”
The MP expressed his dismay upon learning that “Kurdish separatist terrorists” had allegedly found refuge in Algeria, a nation Türkiye once considered a close ally.
“Algeria, the country we supported and protected, which not so long ago was a province under the Ottoman Sultan’s protection, now gives sanctuary to Kurdish terrorists on its territory,” he said.
In a pointed critique of historical decisions, Nahit added, “Only today I do feel that the Ottoman Empire made a grave mistake when it sold the province of Algeria to France.”
The Turkish MP further referenced the Ottoman Empire’s historical role in liberating Algeria from Spanish control. “Without our Turkish ancestors and the great leader Barbarossa, the people of Algeria would have remained slaves to the Spanish, just as Barbarossa the Great found them,” he said.
Nahit’s remarks underscore growing tensions between Türkiye and Algeria, driven by accusations of Algeria’s tacit support for Kurdish “factions,” which Türkiye considers a direct threat to its national security.