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

Turkey

Turkey

October 20, 2026

Ankara 3:23 am

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Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Turkey's defense industry set to hit $20B in new contracts in 2026

The expanding defense industry sector has also become a foreign-policy tool for Ankara, deepening military partnerships with countries including Saudi Arabia.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (L) and Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi holds a press conference in Tehran on November 30, 2025.

Analysis

Turkey turns to Iran to contain Houthis as Saudi defense commitments grow

Ankara is trying to contain the fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis through Tehran’s help, but Iran may see an advantage in allowing the Houthis to maintain pressure on the kingdom.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Mihrac Ural, who was also known as Ali Kayali, was arrested

Explainer

Syria arrests Mihrac Ural, ex-Assad militia head also wanted by Turkey

The Turkey-born militia chief and a longtime ally of the Assad-regime, was sought by Ankara over the deadly Reyhanli bombings and by Damascus over his alleged role in massacres on the Mediterranean coast.

Abandoned cars piled up among debris and standing water following extremely heavy rainfall, Istanbul, Turkey, Oct. 15, 2026.

Turkey: Flash floods kill 3, paralyze Istanbul after record downpour

Heavy rains stranded hundreds, blocking major roads and disrupting air and public transportation, flooding buildings and forcing school closures across Istanbul province.

Latest News

Explainer

Why Israel, Armenia don't benefit from hijab spat between Turkey, Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev (L) and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attend the inaugural meeting of the European Political Community (EPC) at Prague Castle on Oct. 6, 2022 in Prague, Czech Republic.

Live Updates

Turkey seizes opposition Halk TV as crackdown widens: What to know

Serhan Asker, General Program Coordinator at Halk TV, makes a statement outside the Ankara branch of Turkey's most-watched news channel, Halk TV.

Iran mum as Azerbaijan’s school hijab ban, Israel ties test alliance with Turkey

A shop owner assists one of his customers at Malta bazaar in the Fatih district in Istanbul, on Dec. 6, 2024.

Explainer

PKK pulls out of Metina in northern Iraq amid Turkey peace process

Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fighters arrive in the northern Iraqi city of Dohuk on May 14, 2013, after leaving Turkey as part of a peace drive with Ankara.

Samuel Wendel

Senior Analyst, Middle East Business & Tech

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

Syrian Kurds demonstrate on June 10, 2021, in the northeastern Syrian city of Qamishli.

How realistic is Erdogan’s vision for security belt from Syria to Iraq?

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he is bent on creating an “end-to-end” security belt along Turkey’s southern borders with Syria and Iraq — a vision too ambitious given the political and topographic conditions of the areas in question.

Bitcoin

Fugitive Turkish cryptocurrency chief arrested in Albania

Faruk Fatih Ozer, who reportedly fled with $2 billion in investors' assets, had an Interpol red notice.

An Emirates Airlines Boing 777 plane unload a coronavirus vaccine shipment at Dubai International Airport on February 1, 2021 as key transport hub Dubai announced an initiative to accelerate the delivery of coronavirus vaccines, particularly to developing nations. - The Vaccine Logistics Alliance, which includes Dubai-based Emirates airline and global logistics giant DP World, is designed to "speed up distribution of Covid-19 vaccines around the world through the emirate". The alliance will "support" the Wo

Long-term transport growth bodes well for Middle East airlines, airports as competition intensifies

Afshin Molavi

DEPO PHOTOS/AFP via Getty Images

Turkish pop star jailed over joke placed under house arrest

Turkish pop singer Gulsen is under house arrest after spending the weekend behind bars for a four-month-old quip about religious school alumni.

Turkish presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin.

Swedish, Finnish NATO bids face test as officials meet Turkey’s representatives

Lack of movement on extradition of “terrorist” suspects still poses threat to Nordic states joining alliance.

A stray dog lies on a street at Besiktas in Istanbul on April 11, 2020, as Turkish government announced a two-day curfew to prevent the spread of the epidemic COVID-19 caused by the novel coronavirus. (Photo by Ozan KOSE / AFP) (Photo by OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images)

Defending dogs pays dividends in Erdogan’s Turkey

Following a public outcry, a Turkish court has suspended an app used to report the location of stray dogs after the information was allegedly used to kill canines.

ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images

Exam fiasco exposes rot in Turkish bureaucracy

The scandal surrounding a civil service exam has painted a grim picture of Turkey's bureaucratic corruption.

Masoud Barzani

Barzani says former Turkish president wanted federation with Iraq’s Kurds

In his memoir, Iraqi Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani shares that Turkey's former President Turgut Ozal had once floated the idea of "annexing" Iraqi Kurdistan.

Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Tourism up 128% in Turkey with travelers from Germany, Russia

Turkey's foreign visitors are up despite concern that the Russian invasion of Ukraine would hurt its tourism industry this year.

US dollar banknotes and Turkish lira banknotes, photo taken in Istanbul, Turkey, Dec. 7, 2021.

Turkey’s 'covert' interest payments on course to exceed regular ones

The cost of state safeguards in a deposit scheme meant to curb dollarization in Turkey has ballooned to alarming levels as the Turkish lira continues to tumble.

Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Turkey hopes to extend mediation role in Ukraine war after grain deal success

Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has said the agreement to ship Ukrainian foodstuffs could be a stepping stone toward peace.

BAKR ALKASEM/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey signals new rules of engagement to Syrian Kurds, Damascus

Turkish strikes on Syrian government troops and overt Kurdish attacks on targets inside Turkey signal that both sides are changing the rules of the game as Ankara eyes normalization with Damascus.