Cargo Flight from Baku to Tel Aviv Sparks Debate in Turkey

Amid ongoing Israeli attacks on Gaza, a cargo plane operated by Azerbaijan-based Silk Way Airlines landing in Tel Aviv via Turkish airspace has triggered political debate.

According to international flight tracking systems, the Silk Way Airlines cargo plane, an Ilyushin Il-76 with flight number AZQ4601, departed from Baku on September 15, 2025, and landed in Tel Aviv. The special flight’s use of Turkish airspace drew public attention.

Özdağ Questions the Government: “What Is This Plane Carrying?”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Selçuk Özdağ, Vice President of the New Path Group and MP for Muğla, highlighted the flight details on social media, asking, “What is the special cargo plane departing from Baku carrying to Tel Aviv?”

Özdağ also stated that he raised the issue with official authorities, directing questions to Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan. In his statement, he added, “Let’s see what the friends of Gaza (!) will answer…”

Uncertainty About the Plane’s Cargo

Founded in 2001, Silk Way Airlines has an extensive cargo network worldwide. However, no official statement has been made regarding the cargo of this Baku–Tel Aviv flight.

While some suggest that the plane may have been carrying humanitarian aid, others speculate it could be transporting military equipment. Yet, there is no concrete evidence supporting these claims.

Özdağ emphasized that details of the flight using Turkish airspace need to be clarified and called on authorities to inform the public.