We were interviewed by many magazines, newspapers and agencies in May about the false news about our company that appeared in French news agencies. Below are our answers to the questions asked by Julien El Hajj from BBC World Service Languages.
Dear Julien El Hajj
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BBC World Service Languages
Thank you for your interest in our company. If we had enough time, I would like to answer your questions more comprehensively. Please do not hesitate to ask more if you deem necessary.
Although there are many news stories about our company, 90% of them are made without contacting us and without investigating the truth of the matter. Therefore, such news contains completely unrealistic claims. For this reason, I would like to emphasize that I find it admirable that you display real journalistic behavior, compared to the news that some French news agencies have made without questioning its reality.
First of all, I would like to give information about SADAT's field of activity and facts about SADAT;
SADAT Defense, provides consultancy, training and logistics services to armed forces and security forces in the field of defense and security according to the Turkish Commercial Code. SADAT was founded in 2012 by Retired General Adnan TANRIVERDİ as a commercial entity with the status of a Incorporated Company.
In 2016, Adnan Tanrıverdi resigned from the management of the company as he was appointed as the Presidential Chief Advisor and a member of the Security and Foreign Policies Board.
I find it useful to explain some of the issues in this sentence. Because SADAT Defense is a company with ethical values and a mission and vision that operates by adhering to its founding philosophy.
1) SADAT Defense provides services to the armed forces and security forces of states.
SADAT does not provide services to non-state actors such as terrorist organizations, paramilitary organizations, companies and individuals (even retired soldiers or security guards).
SADAT Defense is not a paramilitary organization. SADAT has no armed force. SADAT Defense is not a private security company. SADAT does not assume the duties of the armed forces and/or security forces directly or indirectly. SADAT does not provide homeland defense or venue security services. In other words, SADAT does not operate as a main or subcontractor in the primary duties of the armed forces or security forces.
2) In order to understand SADAT's mission and vision correctly, it is necessary to first understand SADAT's founding philosophy. Please kindly do not continue reading the answers to your questions without fully reviewing our founding philosophy, linked below. When the founding philosophy cannot be understood, it is completely disconnected from the context of the subject.
https://sadat.com.tr/en/about-us/why-sadat-inc-international-defense-consulting.html
SADAT Defense, as a Commercial Company that prioritizes service, aspires to solve the Defense problems of our friends.
Adnan Tanriverdi
Retired General
The mission of SADAT Defense is to create an environment of defense and defense industry cooperation among Islamic Countries by providing services in the fields of strategic consultancy, special defense and security training and logistics for the organization of the Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces in the international arena, and to create an environment of defense and defense industry cooperation among Islamic Countries and to enable the Islamic World to become a self-sufficient military power. To help it take its rightful place among the World Super Powers.
3) SADAT Defense offers strategic consultancy, special training and logistics services.
To give an example, SADAT Defense can establish a country's Special Forces from scratch. The planning and structuring phase of this study falls within the scope of consultancy services, the training of staff and trainers falls within the scope of training services, and the planning, project design and construction of barracks activities fall within the scope of logistics services.
Another example is; SADAT Defense establishes Military Standardization and Metrology Centers in countries requesting. Consultancy services such as designing the organization chart of this center in accordance with the country, preparing job descriptions, determining the qualifications of the staff, etc.; training of staff training service; Procurement of the center's information system, software and hardware, logistics services; falls within its scope.
Likewise, SADAT Defense produces Integrated Border Security Solutions. In this solution package; Issues such as analysis of threats at country borders, planning and project design are included in our consultancy services, construction of outposts along the borders for border security, surveillance, early warning systems, command and control systems, equipping with integrated weapon systems are included in our logistics services, and training of country personnel involved are within the scope of our training services.
4) SADAT Defense aims to guarantee a peaceful environment and increase the defense capacity and deterrent power of countries with the services it provides. In this context, SADAT Defense provides strategic consultancy services to countries on effectively using their existing defense and security capacity, producing projects to complete their deficiencies, maintaining peace and having a deterrent force to prevent conflict. SADAT has never provided service to conflict zones.
SADAT has no activities in Syria, Libya, Azerbaijan, Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali. It only offered a military sport - pentathlon facility project included Olympic pool for Libya in 2012-2013, but when the Libya crisis started, it had to withdraw before signing the contract. We have not had any activities in the other 5 countries so far.
5) SADAT Defense prefers to act in accordance with the dictates of this word;
If you want to do a favor to someone, don't give them a fish, teach them how to fish.
Confucius
If we evaluate the current issue, SADAT Defense does not provide private security services or organize private security organizations. SADAT Defense supports the country in increasing its own self-defense capacity by providing special training to the countries' armies and/or police, upon request.
In addition, SADAT believes that the use of proxy force will disrupt stability and create an environment of terrorism.
COMING TO YOUR QUESTIONS;
1) Can you confirm or deny the involvement of Turkish private security companies in the recruitment and deployment of Syrian fighters to Niger?
News that had no connection with the truth was published in the French press about SADAT doing this job. AFP did not even ask whether the news it published was real or not, and did not even ask questions about this news that tried to tarnish our name as a matter of impartial journalism.
Look, you, the BBC, sent us questions and asked if it would be possible for us to answer within 48 hours. Thank you for your kindness. We could not see the same sensitivity in AFP.
As for your question regarding the activities of Turkish private security companies in Niger; We do not carry out any activities in Niger. Since we are not there, we do not have the chance to see whether there are Turkish companies on the Niger side. Considering that many of the claims in the news are fraudulent, we do not find the claim that SADAT or any other Turkish company is credible.
Private security services in Turkiye are regulated in detail by a special law with strict rules. SADAT is not a private security company. SADAT International Defense Consultancy is a company that provides strategic consultancy, special military training and logistics services.
I would like to make an open call to Niger from here. If they think they have deficiencies in the field of defense and security, they should invite us. Let us provide strategic consultancy services to Niger's defense and security structures. Let's train Niger's army and police. Let's bring them to international standards.
2) How does Turkiye respond to claims that it is exploiting the economic hardships faced by Syrians for recruitment purposes?
The Turkish press paid no attention to the news that Syrians were employed by a Turkish company in Niger. Because there was no documentation of the claim in AFP's news, it was only mentioned that it was the claim of 2-3 people whose names were allegedly reserved. In addition, the Turkish public did not find the story that 1000 people crossed Turkey and went to Niger by plane from Istanbul (about 5 planes full of people are mentioned) unrealistic.
Turkiye did not even include these allegations, which have nothing to do with reality, on its agenda. Only AFP published the allegations in the Turkish press on the same day, but since both the press and the public knew what SADAT was actually doing, it did not create an agenda.
3) What are the protocols regarding the communication capabilities of Syrian fighters deployed to Niger?
First of all, the presence of Syrians in Niger should be questioned. I wonder if there are really Syrians in Niger? If so, how many? Was it really brought by Turkish companies? A Turkish proverb says, “A madman threw a stone into a well, but forty wise men could not take it out.” Some of our African friends claim that these false news were published by France to tarnish Turkiye's African Initiative policy.
4) How does Turkiye address the allegations regarding Syrian fighters operating under Russian military command in Niger? What is the nature of the cooperation, if any, between Turkish and Russian forces in this context?
This claim does not seem logical. Unproven claims that aim to direct the agenda should first be examined whether they are true or not. It is important to document... Are you sure that these allegations are not an attempt to set an agenda through 3(!) people who do not want to reveal their identities? Is there a document that proves it?
IN CONCLUSION;
The genocide carried out by Israel in the Palestinian territories that it began to occupy in 1948, which has caused the murder of more than 37 thousand people (more than 50 thousand since 1948) since October 7, has made conscientious people from all walks of life, views, and religions question the reason for their existence in the world. Public conscience all over the world has reached the point of explosion.
Millions of people live in inhumane conditions not only in Palestine, but also in many geographies such as Yemen, Syria, Libya, Sudan, Arakan, Kashmir, East Turkestan and Ukraine. It is not even possible to say that many of them are alive.
The current International order imposed by the victors of the First and Second World Wars has completely lost its legitimacy.
The World is Bigger than Five.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan
The established order is not sustainable. The justice of the powerful will be replaced by the rule of law. The international system must be reformed urgently.
SADAT Defense will continue to carry out the activities in its mission and vision with firm steps by adhering to its founding philosophy and international law.
We are calling to Africa and Asia, especially the Middle East. They should improve their capacities in the field of defense and security by investing in special forces, border security, and military standardization and metrology. SADAT has important solution packages on this subject.
It is announced to the public with respect. 26.06.2024
Melih TANRIVERDİ
Chairman of the Board
