ANKARA (Realist English). Nearly half of Turkey’s land borders are now protected by security walls as part of an extensive national border protection initiative, according to the 2026 Presidential Annual Program published in the Official Gazette on Thursday.
The report details progress under the Border Physical Security Systems Project, launched in 2016 to strengthen border control, curb irregular migration, combat smuggling, and prevent terrorist infiltration.
As of October 2025, security walls have been constructed along 1,304 kilometers (810 miles) — about 44% of Turkey’s 2,949-kilometer land borders. In addition, 1,700 kilometers of patrol roads have been built, representing roughly 58% of the total.
The government has prioritized high-risk borders with Syria and Iran, where physical barriers and patrol routes now cover 87% of the 1,471-kilometer stretch. Construction is also advancing along a 25-kilometer section of the Iraqi border, where barriers and roads are being expanded.
Between 2017 and 2025, the eastern border with Iran saw 363 kilometers of walls and 367 kilometers of patrol roads completed across the provinces of Ağrı, Iğdır, Hakkari, and Van. In Van alone, an additional 92 kilometers of wall and road construction is underway, with 26 kilometers already finished.
To enhance surveillance, authorities have installed 223 observation towers fitted with thermal imaging systems across the eastern and southeastern regions. Another 341 electro-optic towers — equipped with cameras capable of detecting humans from 10 kilometers and identifying them from 4 kilometers — have been built, 250 of which are positioned along Turkey’s eastern borders.
In the west, 396 kilometers of patrol roads have been completed under the Thrace Border Security Systems Project, launched in 2023 to reinforce control along the Bulgarian and Greek frontiers.
The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and security agencies continue to rely on these technologies to secure borders, migrant camps, and critical infrastructure, while conducting operations against terrorism, smuggling, and illegal crossings.
Turkey remains a key transit corridor for migrants attempting to reach Europe, particularly since the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011. Many attempt perilous land and sea routes, often relying on smugglers who abandon them after collecting large sums of money.
