Many Turks don't understand the A, B and C of this conflict. They do understand that they must influence Afghanistan which is the backyard of Central Asian countries. It is no secret that Turks have a special affection for Central Asian states which they consider as their blood lineage.
Also public sentiment in Turkiye can sometimes fluctuate based on different historical narratives and modern political contexts.
There are historical ties between Turkiye and Afghanistan (The Ataturk Connection). One of the most significant reasons for the strong, enduring, and affectionate view of Afghanistan in Turkey is the historical relationship between the two nations' founding movements.
King Amanullah Khan and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk: In the 1920s, King Amanullah Khan of Afghanistan was a major reformer who sought to modernize his country, much like Atatürk in Turkey. They maintained a very close, brotherly relationship. Amanullah Khan was one of the first heads of state to visit the new Republic of Turkey and express support for Atatürk’s secular and modernization reforms.
Following this, Turkey sent numerous teachers, military officers, and advisors to Afghanistan to help build their institutions and modern army. This created a legacy of "fraternal" support that is still taught in Turkish history books. To many Turks, Afghanistan is viewed through a lens of shared history during the early 20th-century nation-building period.
There is also strong Pan-Turkic sentiment among some groups in Turkey. Because some Afghan ethnic groups (like the Uzbeks and Turkmens) share linguistic and cultural roots with Turks, there is often a specific cultural kinship felt toward those communities in Afghanistan, which sometimes colors the perception of the nation as a whole.
Turkey’s relationship with Pakistan is often framed through geopolitics and strategic partnership, rather than just cultural history.
Turkey often views itself as a model for Islamic nation-building—secular, republican, and modern. Historically, some Turks felt a closer alignment with the reformist history of Afghanistan. Conversely, the relationship with Pakistan is often viewed as a "state-to-state" friendship based on mutual strategic interests, which can feel more formal or "distant" compared to the romanticized, historical connection with Afghanistan.
Let's be under no illusion. There are indeed Turks that would walk over Pakistan and support Afghanistan every day of the week. These Turks feel culturally closer to Afghanistan.
Long live the Pakistan Army
