Afghan–Turkish relations
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Afghanistan–Turkey relations refers to bilateral relations between Afghanistan and Turkey.
Ahmet Davutoğlu has described this relationship as "exemplary" even if the two countries do not border, but are close. A recent survey in Kabul of 1,259 people shows that Afghanistan rely mostly on Turkey, and consider Turkey to be Afghanistan's one and only true, best friend (as of July 2012). It is also stated how "Afghan people love Turkish soldiers in Afghanistan like their sons". Afghanistan are also constantly referred to 'brothers' in Turkey. Generally it is said that “Turkey is Afghanistan’s closest neighbor without common borders”. There are two opinions which compose the fundamentals of Turkish-Afghan relations. It is said in Afghanistan “no Afghan was ever killed by a Turkish bullet” and “no Afghan trained by Turks has ever betrayed his country”. Afghanistan was also the second nation to recognise the Republic of Turkey, after the Soviet Union, on 1 March 1923. Turkey shall always be remembered as a pioneer of this peace process—from conceptual through operational stages.
Since the 1920s Turkey enjoyed its prestige in Afghanistan. Both countries established education and cultural exchange programs. Inside Afghanistan Turkish schools were established. Furthermore, Turkish army officers assisted or even commanded the training of Afghan military members. The foreign relations of Afghanistan have changed so much politically, socially and economically. Today the relations between the two countries go beyond giving military education. In this respect it is noteworthy that this article handles the developments in the relationship between Afghanistan and Turkey in historical context. "Turkey shares the grief of the Afghan people, with whom we have always been together in joyful and sad times" Additionally, the 'brotherly' relationship is indicated by the Turkish mission to renovate Hamid Karzai International Airport.
Afghan and Turkish relations spans several centuries, as many Turkic and Afghan peoples ruled vast areas of Central Asia and the Middle East particularly the Ghaznavids, Khalji, Timurid, Lodhi, Mughal, Afsharid, and Durrani empires. Throughout its long history, many Ottoman officials were in close contact with Afghan leaders even up until the early 20th century when the Ottoman administrator Ahmad Jamal Pasha went to Afghanistan where he worked on modernizing the Afghan armed forces. Ertuğrul Osman, the current head of the Imperial Ottoman Dynasty, is married to Zeynep Tarzi Hanım Efendi, the daughter of Abdulfettah Tarzi, niece of the former King of Afghanistan, Amanullah Khan.
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