Erdogan to visit Azerbaijan amid headscarf spat

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is set to visit Azerbaijan on Sunday, amid rising tensions between the two allied nations over a headscarf ban in Azerbaijani schools. The ban, imposed in September, prohibited students and teachers wearing headscarves from entering primary and high schools, prompting protests and severe criticism in Turkey.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's decision to skip the Turkic States Summit last week highlighted the ongoing unrest, leading to protests and harsh criticism on Turkish social media. In response, Erdogan has taken steps to mend relations, including sacking a Turkish presidential adviser and initiating legal action against commentators who allegedly insulted Aliyev.

Despite these efforts, Aliyev still declined to attend the summit. Erdogan has emphasized the importance of Victory Day on November 8 and stated that his relations with Azerbaijan extend beyond conventional diplomatic ties. While the visit may not fully resolve the rift, Turkish officials maintain that the situation is a misunderstanding, while Azerbaijani sources criticize Ankara's behavior as if it were that of another Turkish province.