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Turkey

Turkey

August 24, 2026

Ankara 5:24 am

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A Turkish soldier from the 1st Border Regiment Command looks out over the border wall to Syria during alert drills at a military outpost on the Turkey/Syria border on March 2, 2017 in Kilis, Turkey.

Analysis

Why Turkey sees Israeli strikes in Syria as warning over its military role, Mecca Pact

Ankara views Israel’s latest strikes in Syria as part of a broader effort to curb Turkey’s military influence in Damascus and a challenge to its regional defense partnerships.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

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

Latest News

Turkey seeks Interpol Red Notices for Netanyahu over Gaza flotilla

Murat Kocabas / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images

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

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu gives a press conference following a meeting with his Slovakian counterpart in Ankara, on March 16, 2021.

Blinken to hold bilateral talks with Turkish foreign minister at NATO meeting in Brussels

This will be the first face-to-face meeting between the two since US President Joe Biden took office.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R), French President Emmanuel Macron (C) and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) and other leaders pose for a family picture at the Chancellery on January 19, 2020, in Berlin, Germany.

Is Europe on the way to appease Erdogan yet again?

The forthcoming Turkey-European Union summit could spell a diplomatic success for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, bolstering his hand in domestic politics.

Erdogan seen on video call

Erdogan defends Putin over spat with Biden

Turkish President Erdogan said it was unbecoming of a head of state for Biden to call Putin a "killer."

A young participant flashes the victory sign in front of the municipality headquarters in Diyarbakir, southeastern Turkey, on October 30, 2016, during a pro-Kurdish demonstration. A Turkish court has barred Figen Yuksekdag, a leader of the main pro-Kurdish party, from leaving the country, accusing her of "belonging to an armed terrorist organisation," the state-run Anadolu news agency reported on October 29, 2016. The HDP denounced the decision as "totally arbitrary" and said it would appeal. President Erdo

US condemns Turkey's efforts to shutter opposition party

The Biden administration slams Turkey's move to dissolve the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party.

Turkish member of Parliament for the left wing political party Peoples' Democratic Party Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu (C) reacts as he is surrounded by MPs applauding and brandishing placards after he was dismissed following a vote at the Turkish Parliament in Ankara, on March 17, 2021. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Lawsuit filed to close pro-Kurdish party after lawmaker stripped of parliamentary seat

Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu, a pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party deputy known to focus on human rights abuses, was stripped of his parliament seat and a lawsuit was filed to close the party March 17.

Intel: Saudi Arabia seeks Turkey’s drones, Erdogan says

Riyadh's request could provide an opening for Ankara, which is also seeking to repair ties with Egypt.

Turkey lifts veil on unemployment data, revealing bigger army of jobless

A new, broader set of labor statistics has exposed a big gap between Turkey’s official unemployment rate and the actual joblessness in the crisis-hit country.

Turkey pursues normalization drive as COVID-19 case counts rise

Turkish officials to maintain lighter COVID-19 restrictions through much of the country, as new infection numbers rise and vaccination campaigns continue.

Erdogan’s Islamic credentials no longer a winning hand among Turkey’s Kurds

The ruling party’s increasingly strong alliance with nationalists has dampened support among the country’s Kurds.

Chad President Idriss Deby Itno (C) waves at supporters during a campaign rally in N'Djamena, Chad, on March 13, 2021. - Chad President Idriss Deby Itno kicked off his campaign for a sixth term on Saturday, calling for unity after rival protests were banned and broken up. (Photo by Renaud MASBEYE BOYBEYE / AFP) (Photo by RENAUD MASBEYE BOYBEYE/AFP via Getty Images)

Egypt seeks to block Turkish influence in Chad

Egypt is making every effort toward rapprochement with Chad to counterbalance Turkey’s influence in the African continent, especially after the defeat of Cairo’s ally in Libya.

Turkey and Egypt make first diplomatic contact since 2013

The two countries were at odds over the 2013 coup in Egypt that brought Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to power.

A thaw in Turkey’s relations with Egypt?

Gulf Cooperation Council reconciliation may have set in motion Ankara’s desire for a reset with Cairo.