Türkiye’s top diplomat hinted Thursday at the potential of establishing a new cybersecurity agency after the recent blasts in Lebanon.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan underscored that awareness toward cybersecurity exists among Turkish institutions, starting from the Transport and Infrastructure Ministry to the National Intelligence Organization (MIT).
Establishing an independent agency for cybersecurity specifically was on the government’s agenda, and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan saw this as a necessity, Fidan said.
Answering questions from AA, he discussed the two days of pager and walkie-talkie explosions across Lebanon blamed on Israel, cybersecurity concerns, the Gaza war and Türkiye’s recent approach to potentially joining the BRICS.
On the other hand, a Defense Ministry official said on Thursday that Türkiye is reviewing its measures to secure the communication devices used by its armed forces after the deadly blasts in Lebanon.
The Turkish official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Türkiye’s military exclusively used domestically produced equipment but Ankara had additional control mechanisms in place if a third party is involved in the procurement or production of devices.
“Whether in the operations we carry out, the ongoing war in Ukraine, and as with the Lebanon example, measures are reviewed and new measures are being developed as part of the lessons learned following each development,” the official said.
“In the context of this incident, we as the Defense Ministry are carrying out the necessary examinations,” the person added, without providing further details.
Hand-held radios used by Hezbollah detonated on Wednesday across Lebanon’s south, a day after a blast of pager devices that left at least a dozen killed and thousands injured. The Lebanese government has accused Israel of orchestrating the incident.
The blasts added to the tension in the region, which was exacerbated amid the monthslong Israel’s war on Gaza.
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said on Wednesday there were no related risks regarding pagers as such devices are rarely used in the country.
The officials, however, have emphasized the importance of advancing national technology following the recent mass explosions.
“This incident has once again demonstrated how vital our national technology drive is,” Industry and Technology Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacır said while visiting the southern province of Mardin.
“Developing and producing critical technologies with our own domestic resources is not a choice, but an absolute necessity,” he added.
The minister highlighted Türkiye’s progress in defense technology, noting that the country has shifted from importing 80% of its defense needs to producing 80% domestically.
He also pointed out the importance of ongoing research and innovation to further accelerate the country’s technological and industrial development.
