Turkey - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Turkey

Turkey

November 9, 2026

Ankara 8:25 pm

5°C

MEHMET ESER/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Will Democrats block Trump’s push to deliver Turkey F-35s, lift sanctions?

Democratic control of Congress complicates Turkey’s push for F-35s and sanctions relief, but Ankara remains hopeful Trump can still broker a deal.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Costa Rica's Grynspan extends lead in UNSG poll as Nusseibeh places fourth

The Costa Rican candidate received 12 encourage votes in Thursday's UN Security Council straw poll.

United Arab Emirates

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses Turkish members of parliament during the opening of the parliamentary session at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in Ankara, on Oct. 1, 2026.

Turkey’s parliament ratifies Mecca pact in boost to Saudi Arabia

Turkey will now decide the scope of military support for Saudi Arabia amid ongoing Iran-backed Houthi attacks on the kingdom.

Latest News

Can Erdogan’s Baku visit fix Turkey-Azerbaijan rift?

TOFIK BABAYEV/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey says soldier killed by gunfire from Iran at border: What to know

A sign marking the border of Turkey in Van, Turkey, on March 14, 2026.

Turkey probes Google’s AI search tools, orders protections for news websites

Turkey moves PKK leader Ocalan to prison villa as peace process faces new test

A protestor holds a flag bearing a portrait of jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) Abdullah Ocalan during a demonstration of Kurdish people from all around Europe to mark the 27th anniversary of his arrest and to demand his liberation, in Strasbourg, Eastern France, on Feb. 14, 2026.

Samuel Wendel

Senior Analyst, Middle East Business & Tech

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Amberin Zaman

Chief Correspondent

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Ezgi Akin

Associate Editor (Turkey)

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan attend a joint news conference following their meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, October 10, 2016. Sputnik/Kremlin/Alexei Druzhinin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. EDITORIAL USE ONLY. - RTSRO2X

Little has changed between Turkey, Russia despite reconciliation

Turkey’s economy has not seen the benefits from normalizing bilateral ties with Russia as Ankara tries to speed up the pace of economic fence mending.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (R) and his German counterpart Frank-Walter Steinmeier (L) give a press conference following their meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Ankara on November 15, 2016. / AFP / ADEM ALTAN (Photo credit should read ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Does Turkey have upper hand in EU membership battle?

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s gamble with countries of the European Union may succeed if the Europeans blink first.

A chocolate seller waits for customers as he waits in his booth in Istanbul September 22, 2009. REUTERS/Morteza Nikoubazl (TURKEY FOOD BUSINESS) - RTR285V8

Will Ankara feast on Turkey's largest food producer?

Rumors that Turkey's largest food producer could be targeted in the government's post coup-attempt crackdown are eroding investor confidence.

Smoke rises from an Islamic State vehicle near al-Shadadi town, Hasaka countryside Syria February 18, 2016. REUTERS/Rodi Said - RTX27LEW

What fate awaits Kurds fighting for the Islamic State?

The future seems desolate — and short — for Kurds who joined IS.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan smiles as he leaves from Eyup Sultan mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, November 2, 2015. President Erdogan said on Monday the nation had voted for stability in a parliamentary election that saw the AK Party he founded win almost 50 percent of the vote, and said the world should respect the result. The Islamist-rooted AKP swept to an unexpected landslide victory on Sunday, returning Turkey to single-party rule in an outcome that will boost Erdogan's power but may deepen social divi

Why Erdogan-Trump honeymoon may be short-lived

Donald Trump’s victory is welcomed by President Erdogan and his supporters, who say this could be the start of a new beginning in ties. Is that really the case?

Iranian film about Prophet Muhammad causes stir in Turkey

“Muhammad: The Messenger of God” opened in Turkey to mixed and emotional reviews.

Rebel fighters gather during their advance towards the Islamic State-held city of al-Bab, northern Syria October 26, 2016. Picture taken October 26, 2016. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi - RTX2TKNV

Turkish airstrikes resume as allied Syrians take position near al-Bab

Determined to head off further expansion of a contiguous Kurdish-run zone along its borders, Turkey is counting on the rebels it's backing in Syria to take al-Bab.

Riot police stand guard outside the Kanalturk and Bugun TV building in Istanbul, Turkey, October 28, 2015. Turkish police on Wednesday stormed the offices of an opposition media company, days before an election, in a crackdown on companies linked to a U.S.-based cleric and foe of President Tayyip Erdogan, live footage showed. Brawls broke out and police sprayed water cannon to disperse dozens of people in front of the offices of Kanalturk and Bugun TV in Istanbul, a live broadcast on Bugun's website showed.

What's next for hundreds of companies seized by Turkish government?

Turkey has a plan for handling almost 600 companies seized by the state for allegedly having ties to the Gulen movement, as the government looks to earn money for the Treasury.

IMC TV employees react after their broadcaster's transmission cut by the authorities, based on a government decree, at IMC TV studios in Istanbul, Turkey, October 4, 2016. REUTERS/Huseyin Aldemir - RTSQPFE

Poverty, 'civil death' looms for victims of emergency rule

The severe economic and social penalties imposed on thousands of Turks after the July coup attempt mean that nearly 1 million people, including family members, have been condemned to “civil death.”

Supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wave national flags as they listen to him through a giant screen in Istanbul's Taksim Square, Turkey, August 10, 2016. REUTERS/Osman Orsal/File Photo - RTSRR8G

Erdogan’s new grand 'National Front'

The entire Turkish right, consisting of Islamists, conservatives and Turkish nationalists, appears to be united under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Police officers detain a protester during a protest against the arrest of pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) lawmakers, in Istanbul, Turkey November 6, 2016. REUTERS/Huseyin Aldemir - RTX2S6QZ

How Kurdish hopes became Turkey's fears

The regionalization of the Kurdish problem was the main factor blowing up the peace process in Turkey, and any return to the negotiating table now depends on developments in the Middle East.

Kurdish fighters from the People's Protection Units (YPG) walk along a street in the southeast of Qamishli city, Syria, April 22, 2016. REUTERS/Rodi Said - RTX2B6V4

Turkey insists on exclusion of Kurdish forces from Raqqa battle

Washington prefers to work with the Kurds to oust the Islamic State from Raqqa, but it still wants to keep Turkey involved.