Take a look at this map—Turkey’s military footprint spans across Northern Cyprus, Qatar, Libya, Iraq, Syria, and even Somalia. And this has led some observers to ask: Is Türkiye’s current president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan trying to revive the Ottoman Empire?
Turkey played a critical role in aiding Syrian rebels, particularly the group under Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, led by Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, to seize control of significant parts of the country, opposing the brutal Bashar al-Assad regime. This shift of power has not only forced Assad to flee Syria but has also paved the way for HTS to begin forming a new country. However, this emerging state is set to operate under Turkey’s growing influence. But forget old-school imperialism—Turkey isn’t trying to redraw maps. This is about influence, a strategy deeply rooted in modern geopolitics.
Modern superpowers, like the U.S., no longer directly conquer and annex territory. Instead, they use tools like the IMF to facilitate a state of economic dependency or they directly back devastating campaigns of regime change to install ideologically favourable governments. Examples being the Vietnam War of 1954-75, the Indonesian mass killings of 1965-66, the overthrowing of Iran’s democratically elected Prime Minister in 1953, the ousting of Guatemala’s democratically elected president in 1954, the Chilean coup d’etat of 1973, the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and so on. Each of these devastating interventions deserves its own separate analysis, but with over 800 military bases in more than 70 countries, the U.S. spent the late 20th century perfecting this new kind of empire: one built on financial, military, and political dominance rather than direct annexation.
Under Erdoğan, turkey is playing a similar game but slightly differently by mixing soft power with strategic military moves. In countries like Libya, Syria, Azerbaijan, and Somalia, Türkiye has combined military support with infrastructural development to both expand its own influence whilst improving access to basic necessities. Thus, bolstering local support for their preferred political faction.
Take Libya, for example. Turkey backed the UN-recognized Government of National Accord, led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, which stabilized Tripoli against warlord Haftar—a key figure supported by Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt. In exchange for Turkey’s military and political support, Libya granted Turkey access to lucrative energy deals, particularly in the Mediterranean. By signing comprehensive agreements on energy, health, and infrastructure, Turkey strategically locked in its regional influence and secured valuable Mediterranean resources.
In Azerbaijan, Türkiye’s drones helped reclaim Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020. This not only strengthened Türkiye’s ties with Azerbaijan but also made Ankara a serious player in the South Caucasus, countering Russian influence.
With Somalia, a new ten-year agreement with Turkey was signed on 8 February 2024, entrusting Ankara with the modernisation and training of its naval forces, conducting joint air, land and sea operations around Somalia’s 3,333 km coastline. The package was also complimented by a further agreement for the joint exploration and exploitation of the nation’s hydrocarbons, as well as a proposed 30% revenue share from untapped marine resources. Thus, cementing Türkiye’s position as a stabilising yet militarily influential force in the Horn of Africa.
And in Syria? As of May 2021, Turkish companies began providing the opposition held city of Idlib with 24-hour, uninterrupted electricity for the first time in several years. Turkey’s direct support for the Syrian National Army and infrastructural support for Idlib created a sphere of influence right on Türkiye’s doorstep well before the recent toppling of the Assad Regime.
So, what is the big picture? Türkiye is not reviving the Ottoman Empire—it is redefining global power. Rather than coercion and invasion, Türkiye intends to establish partnerships, alliances, and a strategy that balances hard and soft power. In a world dominated by Western-style imperialism, Türkiye is writing its own playbook.