Bosnia tops Turkish National Defense University’s foreign cadet list

The Rector of the National Defense University (NDU) Erhan Afyoncu said that the university provides education to officer cadets from 31 countries at the university, emphasizing that the highest number of foreign officer cadets receiving education come from Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Afyoncu mentioned that the university was established to train officers for Türkiye, and they also accept students from friendly and brotherly countries.

Afyoncu, saying that over 1000 students from 31 countries are receiving education at the NDU, said:

“Bosnians receive the most education at the NDU. Azerbaijan, Somalia, Libya, and Bosnia-Herzegovina are among the top five countries at the NDU. “To date, we have graduated 131 Bosnian officers from the NDU, with an additional 63 officers currently pursuing further education. We extend a warm welcome to our dedicated young individuals committed to serving Bosnia-Herzegovina for its security needs.”

Afyoncu emphasized Türkiye’s robust cultural unity with its neighboring countries, stating, “This holds true for both Muslim and Christian nations. While communication may be stronger among Muslim nations, in Christian countries, shared geography and similar experiences foster a similar cultural bond. Türkiye maintains excellent relations with all friendly and brotherly nations.”

‘We do not reject any request from Bosnia-Herzegovina’

Afyoncu highlighted that upon the Ottoman Empire’s arrival in the Balkans, the Bosnian people were initially non-Muslim. He noted that despite this, Bosnians produced numerous viziers, grand viziers, and other high-ranking officials for the Ottoman administration, earning a reputation as one of the most trusted communities within the state.

Afyoncu said that the NDU operates within the framework of current laws. He stated, “Bosnia-Herzegovina was established after a prolonged conflict, culminating in a peace agreement that still governs the state’s structure. Türkiye also upholds bilateral agreements, hence we do not dismiss any requests originating from Bosnia-Herzegovina. Ensuring peace here is imperative for peace in Türkiye as well. As the world heads toward potentially tumultuous times, maintaining stability in the Balkans is of utmost importance. Hopefully, we can avoid a return to the turbulent periods of the past.”

Source: AA