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

Turkey

Turkey

April 29, 2026

Ankara 11:20 pm

9°C

This aerial photograph shows Turkey's first floating natural gas production platform, "Osman Gazi," passing through the Bosphorus, in Istanbul, on May 29, 2025.

Turkey advances gas pipeline plan to northern Cyprus as East Med rivalry grows

The Turkish energy minister said the country's oil and natural gas pipeline operator, BOTAS, has started the engineering work for the pipeline.

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

Latest News

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

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)

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.

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 opposition motto comes from unexpected contributor: Erdogan

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s statement that he will step down if the people say "Enough" gave the opposition the best slogan for the June 24 snap elections.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan meets with Iran's President Hassan Rouhani during an extraordinary meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul, Turkey, December 13, 2017. REUTERS/Kayhan Ozer/Pool - RC1507ABA930

Ankara vows to help resist US sanctions on Iran

Turkey has reacted to the promised US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal with outrage, though some analysts believe the US withdrawal offers Turkey opportunities.

Turkey's Minister of Economy Nihat Zeybekci speaks at the Vietnam-Turkey Business Forum in Hanoi on August 24, 2017.
Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and Zeybekci are on a three-day official visit to Vietnam focused on fostering closer bilateral ties. / AFP PHOTO / HOANG DINH Nam (Photo credit should read HOANG DINH NAM/AFP/Getty Images)

Turkey stands to suffer under new US sanctions on Iran

Turkey might have a tough time dealing with pending US penalties against Ankara's trading partner Iran.

Ancient city of Mardin gets big dose of contemporary art

Contemporary artworks at the 4th Mardin Biennial pay homage to the heritage of Mardin, a multicultural city with a strong Assyrian, Arabic and Armenian past.

Zubeyir Aydar, president of the People's Congress of Kurdistan, addresses Kurdish protesters during a demonstration against alleged attacks perpetrated by the Turkish army against Kurds, in Brussels on August 8, 2015. Ankara has launched a two-pronged "anti-terror" offensive against jihadists in Syria and PKK militants based in northern Iraq after a series of attacks on Turkish soil, including a suicide bombing blamed on IS that killed 32 pro-Kurdish activists in the town of Suruc. The PKK, which accuses th

Interview

Campaigns woo Kurdish voters as Turkish election nears

In an interview with Al-Monitor, veteran Kurdish politician Zubeyir Aydar spoke about the fight for the Kurdish vote ahead of Turkey's snap elections.

Zubeyir Aydar

Zubeyir Aydar

Former member of Turkey's parliament

Kurdish singer aspires to run for Turkish parliament on AKP ticket

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan surrounds himself with celebrities such as legendary Kurdish Arab singer Ibrahim Tatlises as a means of boosting support.

Norine Brunson, the wife fo jailed American pastor Andrew Brunson, who is held on charges of aiding terror groups, leaves the courthouse after Brunson's trial in Aliaga, north of Izmir, on May 7, 2018. - Brunson, who ran a church in the western city of Izmir, was detained by Turkish authorities in October 2016. If convicted, he risks up to 35 years in jail. (Photo by BULENT KILIC / AFP) (Photo credit should read BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images)

Turkish court keeps US pastor behind bars

Turkey’s decision to postpone US pastor Andrew Brunson’s hearing until July may be driven by electoral calculations and attempts at so-called hostage diplomacy.

Erdogan's Bosnia rally message to Europe ahead of snap polls

Having thousands of Turks from the Balkans and Europe converge on the Bosnian capital for an election rally could be a risky move for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan gestures at his ruling AK Party's Istanbul congress, Turkey May 6, 2018. REUTERS/Osman Orsal - RC1E3428B110

Secular candidate hopes to push Erdogan into Turkish presidential runoff

While some Turks see Erdogan as vulnerable, others only have hopes that his party can be denied a parliamentary majority.

Turkey woos Iraqi provincial leaders to rekindle relations

Ankara hopes its diplomatic efforts in the Shiite-dominated southern provinces of Iraq will improve Turkey's political standing with Baghdad.

Turkey’s Islamist ‘old guard’ joins Erdogan opponents

The National View, the pioneer movement of political Islam in Turkey, has joined the opposition in its efforts to unseat President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in next month’s elections.

Turkey’s pro-Kurdish HDP names jailed leader as presidential candidate

Turkey’s top Kurdish leader Selahattin Demirtas, the only person who could deprive President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of his ambition, is officially joining the presidential race from his prison cell.