Istanbul mayoral hopefuls spar in rare debate

With a week to go before Istanbul votes again, the opposition’s candidate Ekrem Imamoglu and ruling party's Binali Yildirim sought to consolidate support in the country’s first televised debate in nearly two decades.

Turkey

Despite European protection offers, Turkey still wants S-400

Turkey is unlikely to be swayed from buying Russian S-400 missile defense systems, even if some European countries continue their defense of Turkish air space.

Syria

Turkey’s olive branches have prickly effect on Saudis

Grappling with serious economic woes, Turkey is seeking to normalize ties with Saudi Arabia, but some of its fence-mending have badly backfired.

Saudi Arabia

Erdogan seeks lifeline from Trump to salvage US-Turkey ties

It will take Donald Trump to close a deal with Turkey on a Syrian "safe zone."

Syria

Intel: How Russia is trying to calm Turkey-Syria tensions

Russia announced today that it had helped negotiate a cease-fire in rebel-controlled Idlib province this week as rising tensions between Turkey and Syria threaten to escalate into open conflict.

Syria

Russia, Turkey broker shaky cease-fire in Syria’s Idlib

Within hours of the announcement of a truce, Syrian forces are accused of firing on both rebel targets and a Turkish army outpost, but even a tentative respite is welcome as renewed clashes have displaced hundreds of thousands of people since April.

Syria

Erdogan’s election machine is rusty and worn out

The campaign that Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) are waging for the rerun of the Istanbul mayoral race is far from promising a victory, showing how the AKP — once a formidable election machine — has aged into an exhausted body with waning skills.

Turkey

AKP vote share has fallen more than election results show

The ruling Justice and Development Party is not as popular as it would like observers and voters to believe going into the rerun of elections in Istanbul.

Turkey

G-20 summit could be last exit before all-out US-Turkey crisis

Turkey doesn’t know “how to reply” to US Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan’s letter, a senior security source tells Al-Monitor.

Turkey

Greek Cyprus calls for arrest of Turkish drilling crew

Ankara has vowed to continue gas exploration activities in disputed waters near Cyprus after Greek Cypriot authorities issued arrest warrants for workers on Turkey's gas-exploration ship.

Turkey

The Syrian funeral that divided Turkey

A funeral ceremony for a controversial Syrian militant, known as “the singer of the revolution,” has sparked indignation in Turkey.

Syria

Will the AKP reinstate Kurdish peace talks to win Istanbul elections?

Ruling party officials have adopted the Kurdish issue as a campaign strategy in the upcoming Istanbul elections.

Turkey