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

Turkey

Turkey

April 6, 2026

Ankara 9:04 pm

11°C

A bulk carrier sits anchored at Sultan Qaboos Port on March 23, 2026 in Muscat, Oman.

Third Turkish ship clears Hormuz as Ankara presses Tehran on safe passage

Eight vessels are still waiting as Ankara negotiates with Tehran, which is allowing limited crossings.

Turkey's Camp TURKSOM, a Turkish military base south of Mogadishu, is seen from the window of an aircraft, on April 26, 2025, in Mogadishu, Somalia.

Analysis

Turkey’s expanding military role in Somalia draws scrutiny amid federal rift

Turkey’s expanding military footprint in Somalia is drawing criticism amid deepening federal-regional tensions, with Ankara denying it is taking sides.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Turkey in talks with Iran to clear 11 ships stuck in Hormuz: What to know

Turkey's transport minister says that 11 vessels await passage from Hormuz pending talks with Iran.

Latest News

Analysis

How the Iran war is giving Turkey's Erdogan a big boost

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks to MPs at his party's group meeting in the Turkish parliament on Jan. 21, 2026 in Ankara, Turkey.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Turkey says NATO defenses intercepted fourth missile from Iran

German soldiers stand to attention in front of a German Patriot missile launcher at the Gazi barracks in Kahramanmaras, southern Turkey on March 25, 2014.

Analysis

Energy storage keeps Turkey stable, but long war risks fragile economy

Sedat Suna/Getty Images

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

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

President of the Kurdistan Region in Iraq Nechirvan Barzani (R) pays tribute in front of a casket.

Massacre of nine Iraqi tourists blamed on Turkey sparks protests, diplomatic fallout

Turkey's shelling of a tourist resort in Iraqi Kurdistan’s Dahuk region leaves Iraqis mourning and angry.

Gen. Mohammed al-Bayati, secretary of the Iraqi prime minister, visits those injured by Turkish shelling at a hospital in the city of Zakho.

Iraq says Turkey killed Arab tourists in artillery attack on Kurdistan resort

The attack, which Turkey denied in a statement, came a day after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran to win Tehran's backing for a further invasion into northeastern Syria.

Turkey military

Erdogan vows to move forward with Syria operation despite objections from Iran, Russia

Turkey’s president remains adamant despite opposition from US, Russia, Iran, Syria.

KONSTANTIN ZAVRAZHIN/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey’s Erdogan meets in Tehran with Russian, Iranian leaders

The presidents of Turkey, Russia and Iran are expected to focus on the peace process in Syria, but the blockade of Ukrainian ports will top the agenda between Ankara and Moscow.

Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Erdogan woos Turkish youth by canceling interest on student loans

The president’s move, first suggested by the opposition, follows protests by thousands of students over the exorbitant interest on student loans.

A currency exchange vendor shows a sheaf of Euro currency notes at Tahtakale in Istanbul, on March 22, 2021.

Turkey’s economy stands to suffer from euro’s downturn

The ramifications of the euro’s slide threaten to further stoke Turkey’s currency woes and soaring inflation.

Turkish military tanks drive past the town of Ariha on the M4 highway in Syria's rebel-held northwestern Idlib province on May 7, 2020.

Pentagon warns Turkey against renewed invasion of Syria

A US defense official called for a political process to end Turkey's perpetual battles with Kurdish militants.

Bekir Bozdag

Turkish extradition requests often disregarded by Western allies

Ankara has long viewed foreign courts’ refusal to repatriate suspects as a sign of obstruction by their governments, but the West looks askance at the Turkish judicial system.

Ukraine grain 2732

Ukraine, Russia grain talks in Turkey stir optimism as UN voices caution

Turkey’s defense chief has announced Russia and Ukraine are set to sign an understanding over a series of “fundamental technical” issues that the warring parties agreed on during today’s talk in Istanbul.

Turkish President and leader of the Justice and Development Party Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkey’s ruling party members stick with Erdogan

Despite growing public discontent, senior members of Turkey's ruling party stick with President Erdogan.

Health care workers protest, calling on the government to improve working conditions in Ankara, on May 29, 2022.

Murder of Turkish doctor spurs rage against Turkey’s beleaguered health sector

The brutal shooting of a cardiologist in a conservative central Anatolian city has pitted the health sector not only against the government but also the General Directorate of Religious Affairs.

Erdogan Putin

Erdogan, Putin set to meet in Tehran

The Turkish, Iranian and Russian leaders are set to meet in Tehran next week amid lingering Turkish threats against Syrian Kurdish groups. Putin and Erdogan will separately discuss the Ukrainian grain crisis.