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Turkey

Turkey

August 22, 2026

Ankara 11:07 pm

24°C

Turkey/Syria border

Analysis

Turkey bets on US deconfliction as Israel widens Syria red lines

As Washington pushes a new deconfliction mechanism between Turkey and Israel, the Jewish state shows little incentive to accept tighter constraints on its freedom of action in Syria, experts say.

Ezgi Akin

Rina Bassist

By Ezgi Akin , Rina Bassist

ANKARA, TURKEY - JULY 7: U.S. President Donald Trump (L)shakes hands with with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) during a formal arrival at the Bestepe Presidential Palace during the NATO summit on July 7, 2026 in Ankara, Turkey. Leaders from NATO's 32 countries, plus NATO allies like Ukraine, gathered in the Turkish capital to discuss a range of issues involving spending targets, defense industrial production, and support for Ukraine, among other topics. (Photo by Emrah Gurel - Pool/Getty Images)

Analysis

Israel fears Turkey’s Syria ambitions and doubts Trump will stop them

Israeli officials remain skeptical of Turkish and Syrian denials over Ankara’s military ambitions in Syria, warning that a deeper Turkish foothold could threaten Israel’s security and strain its ties with Washington.

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Murat Kocabas / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images

Turkey seeks Interpol Red Notices for Netanyahu over Gaza flotilla

The Turkish government’s Interpol move comes amid heightened tensions between Turkey and Israel over Syria.

Latest News

Turkey signals restraint as war of words with Israel escalates over Syria

Burhaanettin Duran

Turkey looks to expand Syria energy footprint into oil, gas

President Ahmad al-Sharaa meets Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar at the People’s Palace in Damascus, Syria, on Aug. 19, 2026.

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

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

This photograph taken on May 14, 2014, shows a Gaza-Turkey solidarity flag projected on a wall of the Ankara Castle in Ankara, Turkey.

Turkey’s muddled approach to Palestine

Ankara sees a recently ratified security cooperation deal between Turkey and the Palestinian Authority as groundwork for a possible maritime boundary agreement between Turkey and Palestine. Experts see such prospects as far-fetched.

Turkish kids watch TV

Turkey’s religious agency plans to launch children's TV channel

Turkey’s Religious Affairs Directorate, which has long lamented the influence of foreign cartoons on children, now seeks to establish a kids channel.

TB2 drone

Will Washington buy Ankara’s ‘drone crescent’ against Russia?

Scrambling for a thaw with Washington, Ankara hopes to draw on the success of its military drones — battle-proven against Russian weaponry — to cast itself as a key partner in US efforts to contain Russia in eastern Europe and beyond.

logging

Massive Turkey-led logging in Iraqi Kurdistan causes outcry

Extensive logging led by Turkey in Iraqi Kurdistan has set off an outcry, fueling the already strong anger toward the Turkish military presence in northern Iraq.

Sacrificial cows lay on the ground at a livestock market, ahead of the annual Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, Ankara, Aug. 8, 2019.

Rise in Turkish food prices sparks fears of shortages

Turkey, a major agricultural producer, might find itself grappling with water shortages and food insecurity in the next decade unless it takes action to address growing problems in its agricultural sector.

President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives to give a press conference after a Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, Turkey, on Sept. 21, 2020.

At his weakest moment, Erdogan to meet Biden

The forthcoming Erdogan-Biden meeting on June 14 comes at a time when Erdogan is experiencing his weakest term in his very long reign.

Turkish soldiers at Kabul airport

Intel: US engages Turkey over Kabul airport security

Ankara could leave some troops in Afghanistan if Washington provides support.

Orhan Inandi protest

Turkey accused of abducting Gulen-affiliated school teacher in Kyrgyzstan

In Kyrgyzstan, a Turkish educator missing since May 31 has rights groups warning of another illegal rendition by the Turkish government.

S-400 launch in southern Russia

US, Turkey still far off on deal over Russian S-400 missiles

Is any feasible deal on the S-400 deployment in Turkey in the works?

FABIO BUCCIARELLI/AFP via Getty Images

Turkish drone sets off international buzz over 'killer robots'

The appearance of Turkish artificial intelligence-controlled drones in Libyan skies has rekindled questions on how lethal autonomous weapons will affect regional geopolitics and whether they should be banned.

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Pervin Buldan delivers a speech during the party's parliamentary group Meeting in Ankara on June 8, 2021. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Top Turkish prosecutor refiles case to shutter pro-Kurdish party

The pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), Turkey’s third largest party, faces the threat of closure once more after a top prosecutor refiled an indictment late Monday seeking to ban nearly 500 members from politics on terror-related charges.

The entrance of the UNHCR Makhmour refugee camp, controlled by the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party), is seen Sept. 4, 2003. Journalists have been barred from the site as well as all arms since PKK militants were banned from carrying arms by the United States in Iraq.

Turkish attack near Makhmour camp extends anti-PKK operations deeper into Iraq

Days after warning of a coming operation on Iraq’s Makhmour camp, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said a senior Kurdistan Workers Party official was “neutralized” near the camp Saturday, underlining Ankara’s drive to put pressure on militants in the region.