Turkey - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Turkey

Turkey

August 25, 2026

Ankara 12:07 pm

27°C

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

Trucks carry belongings of people fleeing from Maarat al-Numan, in northern Idlib, Syria December 24, 2019. REUTERS/Mahmoud Hassano - RC2U1E9W99L0

Thousands flee Russian, Syrian bombs for Turkish border

Turkey fears another humanitarian disaster on its doorstep in Syria as Russia and Syria bomb civilian targets in their push to retake the country’s last rebel stronghold.

Interview

SDF commander says Kurds ready for dialogue if Ankara is sincere

In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor in northeast Syria, Gen. Mazlum Kobane speaks on a range of issues including prospects for reviving dialogue with Turkey, US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw US troops from Syria and the impact of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani's killing in Iraq.

Mazlum Kobane

Mazlum Kobane

SDF commander in chief

Erdogan's Libya strategy: Jump first, think later

By openly taking sides in Libya, Turkey could end up undermining the clout it believes it has gained in that country.

Former Turkish prime minster Ahmet Davutoglu speaks during a news conference to announce formally the establishment of his Future Party in Ankara, Turkey, December 13, 2019. REUTERS/ Alp Eren Kaya - RC29UD947Q4I

Turkish state seizes foundation linked to Erdogan political rival

State authorities have taken over a second institution linked to former Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who resigned last year from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling party to form his own.

Israel-Greece-Cyprus take on Turkey in the Mediterranean

Trilateral cooperation among Israel, Greece and Cyprus to build a natural gas subsea pipeline is setting the stage for more tensions with Turkey in the Eastern Mediterranean.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel leave a news conference after the Libya summit in Berlin, Germany, January 19, 2020. Michael Kappeler/Pool via Reuters - RC27JE9LBDB3

Turkey gains clout in Libya negotiations following Berlin conference

Though observers expect few on-the-ground changes in the Libyan conflict after the Berlin conference, Turkish leaders have secured a seat at the negotiating table moving forward.

Why risky Istanbul airport gets preferential treatment

Turkish authorities are scrambling to prop up Istanbul’s new airport as the costly facility faces various strains that might result in major burdens on public finances.

Russian paper gives Erdogan poor marks at Libya peace conference

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not get what he wanted at the Libya peace conference in Berlin, but how much of a setback was that for Turkey?

Archaeology clashes with development in Turkey's ancient city of Sagalassos

Excavated since 1990 by Belgian and Turkish archaeologists, Sagalassos offers not only a visit through majestic Roman monuments but also a glimpse on how people lived, worked, worshipped and died in the past.

Russian President Vladimir†Putin†and Russia's acting Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attend the Libya summit in Berlin, Germany, January 19, 2020. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke/Pool - RC27JE9VYMOG

Russia’s 'leading from behind' strategy on Libya

Russia’s Libya policy is less about Libya and more about Europe, hence Moscow’s preference to let the Europeans take the public lead on the conflict.

Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi (L) and Algerian president Abdelmadjid Tebboune talk before posing for a family picture during a Peace summit on Libya at the Chancellery in Berlin, on January 19, 2020. - World leaders gather in Berlin on January 19, 2020 to make a fresh push for peace in Libya, in a desperate bid to stop the conflict-wracked nation from turning into a "second Syria". Chancellor Angela Merkel will be joined by the presidents of Russia, Turkey and France and other world leaders for ta

Algeria strives to regain prominence as world powers debate Libya's future

Despite Algeria's best efforts, nine years of conflict in neighboring Libya have essentially brought an international proxy war to Algiers' doorstep.

United Arab Emirates

Iraqi Christians pray during a mass on Christmas Day at St. George Chaldean Church in Baghdad, Iraq December 25, 2019. REUTERS/Khalid al Mousily - RC292E9455EU

Iraqi minorities concerned about possible US troop withdrawal

Iraqi minorities are afraid that rising tensions between Iran and the United States might end the US troop presence in the country.