- Oct 3, 2018
- 3,487

The Ministry oversees national law enforcement through its key agencies: the General Directorate of Security (Emniyet Genel Müdürlüğü), the Gendarmerie General Command (Jandarma Genel Komutanlığı), the Coast Guard Command (Sahil Güvenlik Komutanlığı), and departments focused on civil registration, immigration, disaster management, and local governance. The Ministry is headquartered in the Bakanlıklar district of Ankara.
The modern Turkish Interior Ministry traces its roots back to the early Republic, but it was significantly restructured in the early 2000s to better coordinate national and regional law enforcement and security, especially in the face of terrorism and irregular migration. The Ministry plays a key role in counter-terrorism operations, public order, border security, and the management of civil emergencies.
Minister Engin Altay is known for his deep ties within the national police and his emphasis on modernization and data-driven policing. He is recognized as an effective administrator and a respected leader within Türkiye’s internal security establishment.
Born on March 3, 1963, in Sivas, Karahan began his career as a shoekeeper before joing the national police to become a police officer in Istanbul. He initially served in the city’s diplomatic protection unit and later moved into criminal investigations.
In 1990, he enrolled in the Police Academy in Ankara, graduating in 1994. Upon graduation, he worked as a case officer in the Organized Crime Division of Ankara’s Police Department.
In 2002, he became head of the Counter-Terrorism Department in the Eastern Anatolia region. He left the post following the rehabilitation of the PKK as a political force and proceeded to join politics in what he described as a 'new phase' in the effort to fight terrorism. Altay joined the CHP in 2003 and became a part of its more nationalist faction. Within the nationalist camp, Altay is considered a moderate as he favors pragmatism although he has a strong sense of 'law and order'.
His reputation for effective policing, combating corruption, and institutional reform led to his appointment as Minister of Interior and Community by Ayşe Çiller.
![]() Engin Altay |
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