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

Turkey

Turkey

May 12, 2026

Ankara 8:26 pm

17°C

The helicopter of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lands on Abdulhamid Han drill ship, the fourth built by Turkey, in Mersin on Aug. 9, 2022, before being sent for gas exploration to an undisputed area in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Gazipasa.

New Turkey maritime draft bill fuels EastMed tensions with Greece, Cyprus

Turkey’s draft maritime bill seeks to formalize Ankara’s claims in the Aegean, Eastern Mediterranean and Black seas, raising tensions with Greece and Cyprus over contested maritime boundaries and offshore energy rights.

Turkish Red Crescent's cars and trucks cross the Turkish border as they leave the Syrian city of Tel Abyad on Oct. 19, 2019, in Akcakale, Turkey.

Turkey's border reopening unlocks new sphere of influence in Syria

Turkey reopened the Akcakale-Tell Abyad crossing on Monday, ending an 11-year closure along the Syria border.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - MAY 06: A man poses for a photograph in front of the newly unveiled, Turkish made intercontinental ballistic missile Yildirimhan at the SAHA International Defence and Aerospace Expo on May 06, 2026 in Istanbul, Turkey. The International Defence and Aerospace Exhibition, showcased Turkish and foreign companies new products and technology. The expo was dominated by UAV products as modern warfare increasingly shifts to drone and unmanned technologies. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Analysis

From drones to deterrence: Turkey's ICBM missile signals bigger ambitions

Turkey’s planned test of a 6,000-kilometer missile could boost Ankara’s defense industry prestige, strengthen its deterrence messaging and feed a powerful domestic narrative of technological self-reliance, but it also raises questions about cost, timing and NATO protection.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Latest News

Culture

How ‘dog mom’ vacuum cleaner ad sparked culture war in Turkey

MURAT KOCABAS/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey, Japan launch defense industry partnership with eye on drones

People look at a drone on display at the Baykar exhibit at the SAHA International Defence and Aerospace Expo on May 06, 2026 in Istanbul, Turkey.

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

Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) leaves the room after a hearing at the US Capitol on November 16, 2012 in Washington,DC. Ex-CIA chief David Petraeus began his testimony before lawmakers Friday about the September 11 assault on the US mission in Benghazi, his first appearance since resigning suddenly a week ago. Packs of reporters and camera crews were on hand at the US Capitol hoping to catch Petraeus entering the highly-anticipated, closed-door hearing of the House Intelligence Committee but they were left disappo

Congress marks 100 years since Armenian genocide

Lawmakers introduce resolution ahead of bitter anniversary.

Turkey's Defence Minister Ismet Yilmaz (L) speaks during a news conference with Iraqi Defence Minister Khaled al-Obeidi in Baghdad March 4, 2015. REUTERS/Khalid al-Mousily (IRAQ - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR4S18I

Where is Turkey’s place in strategy against IS?

Turkey is absent from the Iraqi leg of the strategy to defeat the Islamic State, and stands no chance of any major role in the Syrian leg, too, as long as it remains obsessed with toppling Assad.

Civilians carry their belongings as they attempt to enter Turkey at the Bab Al-Salam border crossing September 9, 2013. REUTERS/Molhem Barakat (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT SOCIETY IMMIGRATION) - RTX13EJ4

No sign of Turkey-Syria border reopening

On March 9, Turkish authorities closed the Bab al-Salam and Bab al-Hawa border crossings with Syria, a move some say may be linked to security measures ahead of Turkey’s parliamentary elections in June.

Figen Yuksedag_1.jpg

Kurdish women’s movement reshapes Turkish politics

A Turkish Sunni woman in her early 40s rises to the top of Kurdish and oppressed people’s political movement.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L) and Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu talk to the media before a meeting in Ankara September 12, 2014. Kerry will meet Cavusoglu, as well as Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and President Tayyip Erdogan during his two-day visit to the capital Ankara, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR45Z12

Ankara sidelined on Syria

Ankara has hardly any influence left over events in Syria and its goal of deposing President Bashar al-Assad is no closer now than four years ago, while the persisting conflict poses ever-increasing headaches for Turkey.

Shi'ite fighters from Hashid Shaabi forces walk with their weapons at the front line at the Shi'ite Turkman village of Bashir, 20km south of Kirkuk, March 14, 2015. Kurdish peshmerga forces, backed by Shi'ite militia fighters, have been attacking Islamic State-held towns and villages south and west of the oil-rich city of Kirkuk, peshmerga sources said. REUTERS/Ako Rasheed (IRAQ - Tags: CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT POLITICS MILITARY) - RTR4TCDN

What next for Iraq?

The Islamic State may be routed in Iraq, but the question of what is next remains unanswered.

Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan speaks during a news conference during the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors meeting in Istanbul February 9, 2015. Turkey prefers to set specific national investment targets as part of efforts to boost economic growth but it is not clear if all G20 member nations are willing to sign up to hard numbers, Babacan said on Monday. REUTERS/Murad Sezer (TURKEY - Tags: POLITICS BUSINESS) - RTR4OTD4

Arab countries hope to influence G-20 agenda

An Istanbul economic forum highlighted Arab countries' aims to be included in the G-20 summit to be held in Turkey in November 2015.

Brides and bridegrooms leave the stage during their wedding ceremony in Ankara, August 6, 2006. 206 couples married together with an annual ceremony organised by Ankara municipality. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (TURKEY) - RTR1G5N0

Turkish independent women don't need to put a ring on it

The stigma of being an old maid is slowly fading in Turkey.

Men ride a motorcycle past giant portraits of (L-R) Pakistan's President Mamnoon Hussain,Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, and Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, displayed along a road in Islamabad February 17, 2015. Davutoglu is in Pakistan on a two-day visit until February 18. REUTERS/Faisal Mahmood (PAKISTAN - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY) - RTR4PVJ2

Pakistan warns Turkey: Don’t make our mistakes

The chairman of the Pakistani Senate's Defense Committee has cautioned that Turkey is repeating in Syria Pakistan's missteps in Afghanistan.

Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) fighters and foreign fighters (R) who joined the YPG, man their weapons during what the YPG said was an offensive against them by Islamic State fighters, in the western countryside of Ras al-Ain March 10, 2015. Picture taken March 10, 2015. REUTERS/Rodi Said (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT MILITARY) - RTR4SVQX

US 'working through' extent of support for Syrian rebels

The resolution being considered by Congress does not address protection of vetted Syrian rebels against Syrian government forces; nuclear talks with Iran enter decisive phase amid challenges by Republicans in Congress; Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani determines fate of reconciliation in Iraq; Israeli election is verdict on Benjamin Netanyahu.

A security camera overlooks a man as he walks down a street in London November 2, 2006. Britain is becoming a surveillance society where individuals are filmed hundreds of times a day by CCTV and where companies "data mine" to build up profiles on customers, the Information Commissioner warned on Thursday. REUTERS/Luke MacGregor (BRITAIN) - RTR1IXR5

'Big Brother' to move into Erdogan’s palace

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is setting up a massive electronic surveillance center in his palace to monitor the entire county.

A member of the Kurdish Peshmerga forces stands guard at a security point on Bashiqa mountain, overlooking Islamic State held territories of Mosul, 12 km northeast of Mosul City, March 7, 2015. REUTERS/Asmaa Waguih (IRAQ - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY CONFLICT) - RTR4SF1J

Turkey to support Mosul operation from sidelines

Turkey will provide assistance to the forces organizing to retake Mosul from the Islamic State, but will not engage directly in military conflict.