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Turkey

Turkey

April 25, 2026

Ankara 4:26 pm

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CORLU, TURKEY- MARCH 2: A B model of Bayraktar AKINCI TİHA (Assault Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) in the sky on March 2, 2022 in Corlu, Turkey. (Photo by Baykar Press Office/dia images via Getty Images)

Turkey’s Baykar tests K2 swarm kamikaze drones for first time: What to know

Baykar tested its K2 and new loitering drones, featuring AI-driven swarm capabilities and the ability to operate under GPS jamming.

US Ambassador to Turkey Thomas Barrack attends a meeting with President Donald Trump and President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Oval Office at the White House on Sept. 25, 2025, in Washington, DC.

Trump envoy Barrack’s embrace of 'strong leaders' sparks fury in Turkey

Turkish opposition members say envoy Tom Barrack’s remarks praising “strong leaders” and monarchies undermine Turkey’s democratic tradition and embolden President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Members of Iraq's security forces stand guard on the the al-Rabia border crossing with Syria on April 20, 2026.

How Syria's border opening with Iraq redefines Turkey-Kurd balance

After years of closure, the reopening of al-Yaaroubiya crossing is redrawing Kurdish economic leverage and reinforcing Turkey’s regional strategy.

Latest News

Analysis

Italy’s TB3 drone deal signals turn toward Turkey amid US-NATO tensions

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shake hands during the press conference following their meeting at Villa Doria Pamphilj, on April 29, 2025, in Rome, Italy.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Analysis

Is Syria’s Sharaa poised to outdo Turkey in formalizing gains for Kurds?

Kurdish people waving Kurdistan flags gather to celebrate Nowruz on the hill of Urkesh in the countryside of Amuda in northeastern Syria on March 18, 2026. Nowruz, meaning "new day," is an ancient festival that marks the start of spring and the new year on the vernal equinox, which usually falls on March 20 or 21. It is celebrated by more than 300 million people worldwide and has been observed for over 3,000 years across regions including the Middle East, Central Asia, the Caucasus and parts of Eastern Euro

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

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

A column of armoured Turkish military vehicles drives on a patrol along a road in the de-militarised zone in Syria's northern Idlib province near the town Saraqib on March 8, 2019. - In September 2018, Syrian rebel backer Turkey and regime ally Russia inked a deal to set up a buffer zone in northern Syria. Russia halted an imminent regime offensive many feared could lead to the Syrian conflict's worst bloodbath yet, in exchange for which Turkey was to remove jihadists from the edges of the region. (Photo by

Turkey’s risky route in Idlib

Turkey is struggling to maintain a balance with Russia as it takes action to block the Syrian army at Idlib.

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during his meeting with heads of foreign companies on the sidelines of the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF-2019) in St. Petersburg, Russia, June 7, 2019. Yuri Kochetkov/Pool via REUTERS - RC1E84F20B40

Beneath tough exterior, Putin may be ready to deal on Iran

Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to hold all the cards in the region, but is Moscow ready to show its hand?

Egypt's hand appears in play behind scenes in Sudan

The head of the Sudanese Transitional Military Council has visited Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, raising questions about Cairo’s role in Sudanese affairs.

French President Emmanuel Macron waves to someone in the crowd as he and U.S. President Donald Trump conclude their joint news conference in the East Room of the White House in Washington, U.S., April 24, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst - HP1EE4O1E9LAN

US Syria envoy says ‘no role’ for Europe in proposed safe zone

The United States has a “general” deal in place to establish a safe zone in northeastern Syria, the Trump administration’s top Syria policy official said, but the effort will not include European countries.

Ekrem Imamoglu, Istanbul mayoral candidate of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), shakes hands with a vendor at a vegetable market in Istanbul, Turkey, May 29, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC1350151BB0

AKP's Istanbul campaign sinks to new lows

Turkey's ruling AKP has insinuated that the opposition's winning mayoral candidate for Istanbul Ekrem Imamoglu is secretly Greek to discredit his campaign in a move that seemed to backfire.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attends the plenary session at the G20 leaders summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina December 1, 2018. G20 Argentina/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC1B008D34E0

Can Erdogan mend fences with US, Europe while saving face?

Turkey is seeking to improve relations with the West to stave off further damage to its ailing economy, but wants to do so without appearing to concede any ground or make concessions.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan talks to media after the Eid al-Fitr prayers to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan in Istanbul, Turkey, June 4, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC13F54A8DE0

Turkish diplomats swept up in wave of arrests report torture

Evidence is piling up that many of the dozens of former Turkish diplomats recently rounded up and jailed were tortured, and the timing of the crackdown has raised speculation that the government is attempting to intimidate purged officials.

What is Russia's strategy in Idlib?

Russia is playing the long game with Turkey in the battle for the Syrian provence of Idlib.

New Diyarbakir mayor backs opposition candidate in Istanbul election rerun

The new HDP mayor of Diyarbakir calls for a Kurdish vote against the AKP in Istanbul's mayoral election rerun and says his AKP predecessor has left Diyarbakir in the poorhouse.

A checkpoint held by Syrian forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad is pictured in Aleppo, Syria February 10, 2018. REUTERS/Omar Sanadiki TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RC14E1387B70

Syria's territorial divisions complicate reconstruction

Russia's efforts toward the reconstruction of Syria are hindered by the inherent challenges in the territorial fragmentation of the country.

Interview

Sen. Van Hollen challenges Trump's bypass of Congress on Saudi Arabia, Iran

In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Maryland Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen describes efforts to curtail the Trump administration’s Gulf policies.

Chris Van Hollen

Chris Van Hollen

US Senator from Maryland

The Elbeyli refugee camp is seen near the Turkish-Syrian border in Kilis province, Turkey, December 1, 2016. REUTERS/Umit Bektas - RC15C4A7DDA0

Why Turkey is closing down Syrian refugee camps

The Turkish government has been systematically closing down Syrian refugee camps, citing high costs and integration problems, but are those the real reasons?