Turkey completes nationwide stray animal collection process

Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi announced that the process of collecting stray animals into shelters has been completed across all provinces. The final stage of this initiative concluded on October 21, 2026, with the last animal being moved to a shelter in Diyarbakır.

In addition to the animal welfare update, Minister Çiftçi detailed security preparations for the upcoming COP31 Climate Change Conference in Antalya, scheduled for November 9–20. The Ministry of Interior has planned extensive security measures involving 26,000 personnel across land, sea, and air to protect approximately 20,000 delegates and 100,000 daily visitors.

Çiftçi also reported on crime statistics, noting that 1,741 operations against organized crime groups in the first nine months of 2026 resulted in 8,170 arrests and the seizure of 95 billion lira in criminal proceeds. Furthermore, narcotics operations this year led to the seizure of approximately 39 tons of drugs and 35,819 arrests.