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Turkey

August 24, 2026

Ankara 9:02 pm

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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

Latest News

Analysis

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

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)

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

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

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

EDITORS NOTE: Graphic content / A protester is detained by police during a demonstration against the replacement of Kurdish mayors with state officials in three cities, on August 20, 2019, in Istanbul. - The Turkish government removed three mayors from office on August 19 over alleged links to Kurdish militants as Ankara deepened its crackdown on the opposition. The mayors of Diyarbakir, Mardin and Van provinces in eastern Turkey -- all members of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) elected in M

Turkey expands crackdown on pro-Kurdish activists with dozens of raids

The prospect for promises of sweeping reform looked bleak in the wake of more than 70 arrests that targeted politicians, doctors, lawyers, journalists and civil society activists.

Top Netflix drama lays open Turkish divides

The Turkish Netflix series Ethos has been both praised for bridging the divide between Turkey’s feuding segments and disparaged for enforcing them with cliches.

US Vice President Joe Biden (L) gestures next to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after a meeting at Yildiz Mabeyn Palace on January 23, 2016 in Istanbul. / AFP / POOL / SEDAT SUNA (Photo credit should read SEDAT SUNA/AFP via Getty Images)

US-Turkey ties under Biden: confrontation or conciliation?

The Biden era in Washington is looming as a tough test for Ankara, whose moves will largely determine how the scarred US-Turkish relationship develops.

VAROSHA, CYPRUS - NOVEMBER 15: Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks on November 15, 2020 in the disputed coastal town of Varosha in Famagusta, Cyprus, after a picnic. (Photo by Alexis Mitas/Getty Images)

Caught between a rock and a hard place, Erdogan seeks a way out

Ankara has to improve Turkey’s international image with major reforms in order to attract much-needed foreign capital but the jury is out on whether President Erdogan can do it.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - NOVEMBER 09: People wait to exchange money at a currency exchange shop on November 09, 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey. Finance Minister Berat Albayrak, the son-in-law of President Erdogan who has been in the role for five years, resigned Sunday citing health reasons. The country's currency has plunged 30 percent this year. After the resignation of Berat Albayrak, Turkish lira gained 3% against $ following the resignation. (Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images)

Under new leadership, Turkish Central Bank delivers largest rate hike in two years

Following a shakeup in Turkey’s economy team, Central Bank policy-makers raised a key interest rate to 15% Thursday, pledging to fight high inflation and bolster the nation’s troubled economy.

Turkish government voices support for Afghan peace process

The head of Afghanistan's peace negotiations with the Taliban visited Ankara on Thursday as talks continue in Doha.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - NOVEMBER 09: A man exchanges money at a currency exchange shop on November 09, 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey. Finance Minister Berat Albayrak, the son-in-law of President Erdogan who has been in the role for five years, resigned Sunday citing health reasons. The country's currency has plunged 30 percent this year. After the resignation of Berat Albayrak, Turkish lira gained 3% against $ following the resignation. (Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images)

Turkey’s landmark rate hike augurs economic contraction

Ankara’s departure from a much-criticized policy to keep interest rates low offers hope for a currency recovery but threatens economic recession and fresh livelihood grievances for the populace.

Members of the Polisario Front stand guard during a visit of the United Nations chief on March 5, 2016, in Bir-Lahlou, in the disputed territory of Western Sahara, situated 220 kilometres (137 miles) southwest of the Algerian town of Tindouf.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, who met Polisario Front leaders including its Secretary General, said he would "spare no effort" in trying to find a solution to the Western Sahara issue. / AFP / Farouk Batiche (Photo credit should read FAROUK BATICHE/AFP via G

Western Sahara conflict tests Turkey-Algeria ties

Turkey’s continued cold war with the Saudi bloc is adding fuel to the brewing conflict in Western Sahara between Algeria and Morocco.

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli (L) and his Sudanese counterpart Abdalla Hamdok address the press after their meeting in Sudan's capital Khartoum, on August 15, 2020. (Photo by ASHRAF SHAZLY / AFP) (Photo by ASHRAF SHAZLY/AFP via Getty Images)

Egypt seeks alliance with Sudan, Israel to counter Turkish influence in Somalia

Egypt is reportedly seeking an alliance with Sudan and Israel to counter Turkish moves in the Red Sea.

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu makes a press statement at his party's headquarters in Ankara, on September 16, 2020. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Erdogan mum as mob boss threatens Turkey’s main opposition leader

In an open letter filled with obscenities and threats of physical violence, a prominent leader in Turkey's mafia accused Kemal Kilicdaroglu of treason in concert with Kurdish militants and foreign powers.

A man takes the temperature of worshippers ahead of the Friday prayer at Kocatepe Mosque on August 7, 2020, amid the crisis linked with the Covid-19 pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkish health experts warn new COVID-19 measures don’t go far enough

The Turkish government has introduced partial curfews and other measures to curbing rising COVID-19 cases in the country, while health experts call for a full lockdown and more transparency in pandemic data.

Russian peacekeepers patrol at a checkpoint near Shusha along the Goris-Stepanakert road on November 17, 2020. - The first civilians are driving through the six-kilometre Lachin corridor, which is Armenias sole land link with Nagorno-Karabakh following the Moscow-brokered peace deal that ended six weeks of fierce fighting over the disputed region. Safe passage of people and goods is ensured by Russian peacekeepers. (Photo by Andrey BORODULIN / AFP) (Photo by ANDREY BORODULIN/AFP via Getty Images)

Why Erdogan seeks fresh military mandate for Azerbaijan

Turkey’s government has obtained a broad parliamentary mandate for military deployment in Azerbaijan, signaling intentions beyond the joint cease-fire-monitoring center agreed with Russia.