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Turkey

Turkey

August 25, 2026

Ankara 4:33 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

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

Turkey more diplomatically isolated than ever in Arab world

Many analysts believe that Ankara’s meddling in the Arab world’s affairs has contributed to pushing some of these regimes toward Israel.

Protesting lawyers lock arms as they march during a demonstration against a government draft bill on changing the system of bar associations on July 10, 2020, in Ankara. - Turkey's ruling party on June 30 presented a bill to parliament on changing the system of bar associations that opponents say will dent lawyers' independence and influence. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Rights advocates decry mass detention of Turkish lawyers

Dozens of Turkish lawyers accused of terror links remain in police detention after dawn raids on their homes in Ankara on Sept. 11, drawing criticism from international human rights groups.

A service vehicle with a sign reading 'Welcome to Incirlik' is pictured at the air base in Incirlik, Turkey, on January 21, 2016. / AFP / POOL / TOBIAS SCHWARZ (Photo credit should read TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Pentagon pushes back on claim that US to leave Turkey’s Incirlik base

Senator Ron Johnson said the United States is considering basing more forces on Crete as relations with Turkey deteriorate.

EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell (L) meets with the head of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord Fayez al-Sarraj in Tripoli on September 1, 2020. (Photo by - / AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

Possible resignation of Libya's PM raises questions over Ankara-Tripoli ties

Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj is reportedly planning to resign from his post and take on a caretaker role in the Tripoli government, a move that could complicate prior agreements with Ankara and raises questions over future bilateral ties.

UN points finger at Turkey over rights abuses in Syria

A biannual report by the United Nations Human Rights Council shows Turkish-backed groups inflicting multiple human rights abuses.

A Greek navy boat leaves the port of the tiny Greek island of Kastellorizo, officially Megisti, the most south-eastern inhabited Greek island in the Dodecanese, situated two kilometers off the south coast of Turkey on August 28, 2020. (Photo by Louisa GOULIAMAKI / AFP) (Photo by LOUISA GOULIAMAKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey backs off in EastMed, but for how long?

Turkey's step back in the eastern Mediterranean standoff may be a tactic to avoid EU sanctions instead of a genuine effort to de-escalate.

Tensions between Turkey, Turkish Cypriots escalate

The Turkish government and the Turkish Cypriot president have a row in advance of the Oct. 11 presidential election in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as tensions have been rising in the eastern Mediterranean; the president has not always been in line with Ankara.

Egypt rallies Arab League to counter Turkey's regional policies

Egypt called on Arab countries to adopt a unified policy to deter the Turkish interference in the Arab region, especially in Libya, Syria and Iraq.

BERLIN, GERMANY - AUGUST 28: German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and Josep Borrell, EU Foreign Minister make their way to a press conference after informal talks between the EU Foreign Ministers at the Foreign Office in Berlin on August 28, 2020 in Berlin, Germany. The topics of the so-called Gymnich meeting include the developments in Belarus and the dispute over natural gas in the eastern Mediterranean between Turkey and the EU states Greece and Cyprus. (Photo by Kay Nietfeld - Pool / Getty Images)

Can EU sanctions threat cool Turkey’s moves in eastern Mediterranean?

EU leaders will gather on Sept. 24 to discuss sanctions on Turkey over its aggressive stance against Greece and Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean, where despite its hawkish statements, Ankara may be backing down.

Does France’s failure in Mali spell a victory for Turkey?

Although claims regarding Turkish involvement in the Malian coup seem far-fetched, one can still see a conflict of interest between France and Turkey over Mali.

PKK under pressure in Iraq's Kurdistan Region

Turkey is continuing its attacks on the Kurdistan Workers Party as a senior Iraqi Kurdish military official hints the group may be wearing out its welcome.

(COMBO) This combination of pictures created on February 21, 2020 shows
US President Donald Trump delivers remarks at a Keep America Great rally in Phoenix, Arizona, on February 19, 2020.
Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during a ceremony in Jerusalem on January 23, 2020 commemorating the people of Leningrad during the Second World War Nazi siege on the city. - President Donald Trump on february 21, 2020 dismissed reported warnings by US intelligence that Russia is meddling in this year's

How a second Trump term could shift Russia’s stance on Syria

Bahrain, UAE peace deals compel Palestinian rethink on strategy.

United Arab Emirates