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Turkey

April 29, 2026

Ankara 2:47 am

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Cadets of the Saiqa Force (Special Forces) of the self-styled Libyan National Army affiliated with eastern strongman Khalifa Hifter take part in a graduation ceremony in tribute to the force's late commander, Wanis Bukhamada, in the eastern city of Benghazi, on Jan. 20, 2022.

In first, Libya’s rival armies to join drill in Turkey: What to know

The move follows the first joint exercise inside Libya amid renewed international efforts to unify the country.

Turkey's submarines and fast-attack craft ships participate in the live-fire phase of the Blue Homeland-2026 (Mavi Vatan) tactical military exercises in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, in Antalya on April 9, 2026.

Turkey’s military spending jumps to $30B, leads Mideast growth in 2025

Newly released data shows Ankara’s military spending hit $30 billion, while Saudi Arabia remained the region’s top spender and Israel’s outlays declined in 2025.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hosted the third meeting of the foreign ministers of Turkey, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on the margins of the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum, on April 17, 2026.

Analysis

Why Saudi Arabia, Egypt are wary of Turkey’s proposed 4-way defense pact with Pakistan

The proposed framework faces major hurdles and fault lines, ranging from NATO constraints to Israeli opposition and weak military integration.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

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.

Latest News

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

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.

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

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

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

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

Turkish forces are seen in a convoy on a main highway between Damascus and Aleppo, near the town of Saraqib in Syria's northern Idlib province, on August 29, 2018. - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in a press conference today that there is "full political understanding" between Russia and Turkey, who support opposing sides of the Syrian civil war but are currently in intense negotiations to ensure Idlib does not become a breaking point in their alliance. (Photo by OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP) (

Turkey’s options limited as world awaits Idlib operation

The international community sounds ever more frantic begging the Syrian regime to stop its deadly advance on Idlib, the rebel-held province that will likely produce millions more refugees as it is retaken by the government's forces.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and his German counterpart Heiko Maas commemorate the 25th anniversary of an arson attack killing two Turkish women and three girls by right-wing extremists in Solingen, Germany, May 29, 2018. REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay - RC1C23FA1490

Turkey and Germany huddle over looming Idlib operation

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas’s visit to Ankara will, above all, serve as a platform for the two countries to discuss major military action expected in the last Syrian rebel stronghold of Idlib.

(FromL) Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak and Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu give a press conference after a "Reform Action Group" meeting held by the Presidency of the European Union at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ankara on August 29, 2018. (Photo by ADEM ALTAN / AFP) (Photo credit should read ADEM ALTAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Doubts surround Turkey’s efforts to revive its EU membership bid

A Western diplomat says Ankara is unlikely to enact democratic reforms that would ease President Erdogan’s grip on power.

Turkish military’s tradition of secularism facing tough test

A recent controversy over who should lead prayers at mosques and prayer halls in military facilities shows the Turkish military is still a long way from striking a true balance between religious freedom and freedom from religion.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - AUGUST 29: People wait to change money at a currency exchange office in front of the underconstruction, Taksim Square Mosque on August 29, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Turkey's lira extended its slump to a third day to 6.45 against the dollar after the central bank announced it would alter Turkish banks borrowing limits on overnight transactions, the move failed to reassure investors and combined with the decision by ratings agency Moody's to downgrade the credit rating of twenty Turkish fi

Top Turkish bank official resigns as lira drops further

A deputy governor of Turkey's Central Bank quit suddenly today as the lira took yet another tumble.

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif steps down from his plane on his arrival in Noor Khan airbase in Rawalpindi on August 30, 2018. - Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif arrived in Islamabad for a two-day visit. (Photo by - / AFP) (Photo credit should read -/AFP/Getty Images)

Zarif: Even America’s allies not immune to US sanctions

During an unannounced trip to Turkey, Iran’s foreign minister warned America’s allies that they are not immune to US pressure.

FBI says Ankara's Iran sanction-busting woes not over

When a US federal agent spoke publicly about the investigation into a Turkish-Iranian sanctions-busting scheme and verified rumors that Turkey had tried to get the defendants freed, she confirmed Ankara's fear that more fallout from the scandal is still to come.

A stray cat sleeps over books as he shades at a second hand book store during a hot summer day in down town Istanbul June 26, 2009. REUTERS/Murad Sezer (TURKEY SOCIETY) FOR BEST QUALITY IMAGE ALSO SEE: GM1E83E1J6T01 - GM1E56R0GPG01

Turkish millennials seek their own literary heroes

Millennials and post-millennials read differently than their elders, as they are faster in skimming, better in sharing and interested in interactive literary works.

A barber works inside his shop on the southern outskirts of the Syrian city of al-Bab, Syria September 15, 2017. Picture taken September 15, 2017. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi - RC11D33413A0

Turkey connecting Syria's al-Bab to its power supply

Turkey's State Electricity Generating Company has been awarded the contract to supply al-Bab, in northern Syria, with electricity.

Two U.S. Air Force F-22 stealth fighter jets are about to receive fuel mid-air from a KC-135 refueling plane over Norway en route to a joint training exercise with Norway's growing fleet of F-35 jets August 15, 2018. REUTERS/Andrea Shalal - RC1BFCD5DE40

US offer of F-35s falls flat as Turkey clings to Russian missiles

A delegation of US Congress members has failed to convince Ankara to give up on acquiring its Russian missile defense system in return for fulfillment of its order of American fighter jets.

A Turkish flag is seen at a Turkish observation point in Idlib province, Syria July 30, 2018. Picture taken July 30, 2018. REUTERS/ Khalil Ashawi - RC18A7B6A310

Will Turkey’s 'strategic partnership' with Russia cover Idlib?

Ankara is looking to Moscow to prevent an attack on Idlib by the Russian-supported Syrian army.

Presidents Hassan Rouhani of Iran, Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and Vladimir Putin of Russia hold a joint news conference after their meeting in Ankara, Turkey April 4, 2018. REUTERS/Umit Bektas - RC1E49CD8120

Erdogan set to meet Putin, Rouhani in Iran to weigh options on Syria

Turkey, Iran and Russia are set to hold a three-way summit in September in Iran, where Erdogan will likely renew pleas for more time to work out a deal separating the “moderates” from the “terrorists” in Syria's Idlib.