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Turkey

Turkey

October 13, 2026

Ankara 9:22 am

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Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fighters arrive in the northern Iraqi city of Dohuk on May 14, 2013, after leaving Turkey as part of a peace drive with Ankara.

Explainer

PKK pulls out of Metina in northern Iraq amid Turkey peace process

The withdrawal comes as the peace process between Turkey and the militant group gains momentum alongside increasing security cooperation between Ankara and Baghdad.

A cargo ship at the Port of Trabzon, Turkey

Analysis

Pragmatic politics: Why Turkey avoids blaming Russia for Black Sea attacks

Beyond economics, Ankara’s approach is also shaped by maintaining its role as an indispensable mediator between the Kremlin and the West.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) meets with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (L) during a visit on Oct. 7, 2026, in Athens, Greece.

Rubio signals US push to ease Greece-Turkey cable tensions

The top US diplomat said Washington was “very committed” to the subsea cable project as Ankara and Athens remain at odds over survey work in contested waters.

Turkish Navy infantry soldiers take part in the Denizkurdu-I/2026 Exercise in the Eastern Mediterranean, off the coast of Aksaz, at Marmaris in Mugla, on Sept. 24, 2026.

Turkey to send Mecca pact to parliament, opening path to Saudi deployment

Parliamentary ratification will remove a legal hurdle for Turkish military deployment to Saudi Arabia under a trilateral defense pact.

Latest News

Latest defection hands Erdogan’s AKP control of Turkey’s third-largest city

Izmir Mayor Cemil Tugay (R) his wife Oznur Tugay and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan acknowledge the audience after the mayor announced joining the ruling Justice and Development Party during a meeting with AKP lawmakers in Ankara, on Oct. 7, 2026.

Erdogan aide named suspect in Turkey financial scandal

Turkey's Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya speaks to media after arriving at the Ataturk International airport on March 12, 2017, in Istanbul.

Turkey, Pakistan to deploy forces to Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks

A Yemeni man holds up a mock missile decorated with the colors of the Palestinian flag and the chechered keffiyeh in front of portraits of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar (L) and the leader of the Houthi movement, Abdel Malek al-Houthi (R), during a protest in Sanaa to denounce strikes on Yemen and Israel's bombardment of Gaza on Jan. 15, 2025.

Analysis

Turkey revives F-16 talks with US amid Israel, Greece deterrence concerns

Turkish Air Force F-16 fighter aircraft

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

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

Erdogan

Analysis

Turkey’s leveraging of Syria, Ukraine crises frustrates US, Europe

Erdogan disregards appeals by US for restraint in Syria and demands further concessions from Stockholm for agreeing to Sweden’s NATO admission.

Week in Review

By Week in Review

Fighters affiliated with the third corps of the Turkish-backed "Syrian National Army" man a turret at a position near Azaz in the rebel-held north of the Aleppo province, opposite the town of Menagh (Minaq) along the frontlines with areas under control by Syrian government forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), on November 29, 2022.

The Security Briefing: Pentagon tries to reason with Turkey

In this weekly newsletter, Pentagon Correspondent Jared Szuba rounds up the biggest security stories from the region.

Botter Apartmani

Building restoration program shores up Istanbul’s cultural heritage

Istanbul is working to protect its neglected structures while providing arts and culture spaces for the public.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (R) and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken talk.

Turkey presses Finland, Sweden for ‘asset freeze,’ extraditions

Ankara demands “concrete steps” from Sweden and Finland before giving the nod to NATO's Nordic enlargement, including an “asset freeze,” a demand that hasn’t been expressed publicly before.

A man sits next to a currency exchange office at Istanbul's Grand Bazaar on May 5, 2022.

Turkish government banks on Gulf financial support to save economy

As crucial elections near, Ankara pins hope on financial support from “friendly” countries to ease its foreign currency shortfall and rein in inflation.

Boji, an Istanbul street dog takes a drink from bowls provided for stray animals inside the Kadikoy subway station before catching a train, Istanbul, Turkey, Oct. 21, 2021.

Killing of dog enflames Turkish animal lovers on issue that divides society

Video of animal shelter worker beating a dog to death leads to protests and questions over treatment of stray animals.

Syrian-Kurdish demonstrators take to the streets to protest against Turkey.

Could Syrian Kurdish issue facilitate Erdogan-Assad rapprochement?

Damascus’ low-key reaction to Turkey’s recent strikes on Syrian Kurdish targets suggests it might acquiesce to Turkish military moves that would contribute to ending the US military presence in the north.

DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images

Syrian Kurdish commander slams US response to Turkish attacks as US diplomats evacuated from Syria

The United States' top ally in Syria warned that unless Washington and the Kremlin push back more firmly Turkey will launch a ground offensive against his forces that will further undermine the battle against the Islamic State.

People watch a live broadcast of a televised debate in Istanbul.

Turkish fact-checkers shine light on misinformation as crucial elections approach

Teyit has been working for six years to interpret sometimes wild claims made in news media and online.

HENRIK MONTGOMERY/TT News Agency/AFP via Getty Images

Top Turkish, Swedish, Finnish diplomats to talk NATO enlargement

Turkey, Sweden and Finland will hold a new round of talks for the Nordic accession to NATO, but Ankara appears to be waiting for more from the Nordic states.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan shakes hands with Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Qatar on Nov. 20, 2022.

Erdogan-Sisi handshake sparks backlash from Turkey's Islamists

President Erdogan’s about-face on Egypt sparked backlash from some Turkish Islamists ahead of critical June elections.

Syria protest

US again tries to thwart Turkish invasion of northern Syria

Erdogan says military operations are "just beginning" against Syrian Kurdish groups, while teasing possibility of talks with Assad.