As part of its bid to bolster relations with Cairo, Turkey is intensifying measures against the Muslim Brotherhood, marking what seems to be the endgame for the group’s presence in Turkey. The political climate is changing in light of steps taken towards rapprochement with Cairo, including raids on the group-affiliated facilities, expulsion of several of its members, and contemplation of citizenship revocation for others.
Expert analysts in political Islam and terrorism speaking to Sky News Arabia have interpreted Turkey’s recent actions as an indicator of Ankara distancing itself from the Brotherhood.
They speculate that this might be followed by larger steps such as the deportation of the organization’s members, who are wanted by Cairo.
Mounir Adib, an Egyptian researcher specializing in political Islam and terrorism, states that his country recently asked Ankara to extradite 100 members of the Brotherhood. This request is made in light of the ongoing understanding between the two nations. All these individuals are proven to be involved in violent and terrorist activities, with final legal sentences against them in Egypt.
Adib does not anticipate Ankara will hand over the wanted number of individuals to Cairo. However, he predicts that Turkey will take further escalating measures against the organization’s members. These actions might include expelling them from the country and possibly revoking the Turkish citizenship that has been granted to some of them.
Egyptian political Islam specialist, Islam Al-Katatni, emphasizes that the recent Turkish actions against the Brotherhood, including headquarters raids and the arrest of several members, are part of an extensive plan to cease support for the organization. This plan was initiated about a year ago, coinciding with the budding Egyptian-Turkish rapprochement.
Al-Katatni characterizes the Turkish measures as decisive and indicative of a new direction for the Turkish government against the Brotherhood. This new approach started in March of the previous year with the closure of media channels and platforms affiliated with the organization. He predicts an increase in these measures in the upcoming period, possibly encompassing the arrest of some members and the deportation of those wanted by Cairo.
Ankara now views the Brotherhood as a ‘burnt card,’ and is not keen on supporting them again. Currently, Turkey is striving to resolve issues with Cairo completely and entirely renounce their support for the organization.
Following the recent presidential elections, Ankara is also seeking to implement a new policy characterized by regional appeasement. They aim to prioritize national interests and stop supporting the organization entirely.
In the future, Turkey might decide to enforce stricter measures including shutting down all Brotherhood locations, asking some members to leave the country, and potentially revoking citizenships or extraditing some wanted individuals.
Presently, the Brotherhood is seeking safe havens away from Ankara, with London and certain Asian countries such as Malaysia appearing to be the most promising options.
Ahmed Sultan, another Egyptian researcher specializing in political Islam and terrorism, draws connections between Turkey’s recent actions and the rise of nationalist rhetoric within Turkey following the recent presidential elections. According to Sultan, Turkey is moving towards a stricter approach against political Islam organizations, with the Brotherhood at the forefront.
At present, Turkey aims to cool off its relationship with Cairo following an elevation in diplomatic representation between the two nations. The upcoming period will likely witness a significant reduction in Brotherhood-supportive policies in Turkey. This shift will involve a comprehensive review of all members of the organization residing in Turkey and the discontinuation of granting citizenship to new members.
