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Turkey

Turkey

August 26, 2026

Ankara 9:29 am

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Top EU court says Kavala case exposes erosion of judicial independence in Turkey

Europe's top human rights court has renewed its call for Turkey to immediately release jailed philanthropist Osman Kavala, saying his imprisonment reflects a broader “systemic problem” over independence and impartiality of the judiciary.

Equality and Democracy Party lawmakers

Explainer

Turkey’s Kurdish peace process moves to implementation: What to know and what’s next

Turkey’s peace process with Kurdish militants has entered the implementation phase this week, with authorities setting up working groups to verify the Kurdistan Workers Party’s disarmament.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani (C) watches as US special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack prepares to sign an agreement in Damascus on September 16, 2025. Shaibani announced on September 16 a plan backed by Jordan and the United States to restore calm to Druze-majority Sweida province, which witnessed deadly violence in July. (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA / AFP) (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA/AFP via Getty Images)

Exclusive

Israel recalibrates Syria policy, explores path to security deal

Israel is rethinking its hard-line Syria policy and seeking to repair ties with US envoy and Donald Trump's confidant Tom Barrack amid a push for a security agreement with Damascus.

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Latest News

Analysis

Why Turkey sees Israeli strikes in Syria as warning over its military role, Mecca Pact

A Turkish soldier from the 1st Border Regiment Command looks out over the border wall to Syria during alert drills at a military outpost on the Turkey/Syria border on March 2, 2017 in Kilis, Turkey.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Analysis

Turkey bets on US deconfliction as Israel widens Syria red lines

Turkey/Syria border

Ezgi Akin

Rina Bassist

By Ezgi Akin , Rina Bassist

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

A woman walks past a tourist shop promoting PCR tests during a three week nationwide coronavirus lockdown on May 5, 2021 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Turkey's plans to mandate PCR tests for education, entertainment spark backlash

Voices from both conservatives and liberals rise as the Turkish government slaps obligatory PCR tests on teachers and school staff to allay fears of a new wave of COVID-19 as schools resume in-person education.

DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images

Turkish airstrike kills members of US-backed Kurdish force in Syria

A Turkish airstrike has killed four members of a US-backed Syrian Kurdish force.

Ethiopian refugees in Sudan

Turkey offers to mediate disputes between Sudan, Ethiopia

Erdogan also said he stands behind a peaceful resolution to the violence in Tigray.

In this photo illustration, social media apps are seen on a mobile phone on July 29, 2020, in Istanbul, Turkey.

Turkey’s plans for new social media restrictions threaten five years in prison for spreading fake news

The latest crackdown on online speech could see users jailed for posting fake news that critics say could criminalize dissent.

A Turkish military truck patrols next to a Turkish flag hoisted at the border with Syria on Aug. 14, 2019, in Akcakale, in Sanliurfa, southeastern Turkey.

Turkey’s Sinjar strikes carry stern messages to Tehran, Baghdad

As the United States braces to withdraw its combat forces from Iraq, the country’s Kurdistan Region is emerging as the scene of a mounting struggle for control between Turkey and Iran.

Firat News

Turkish airstrikes claim Yazidi lives in Iraq’s Sinjar

Turkish airstrikes hit makeshift hospital in the predominantly Yazidi Sinjar region of Iraq on Tuesday.

WAKIL KOHSAR/AFP via Getty Images

Ankara mulls ambitious but risky engagement with Taliban

The Turkish government is eyeing a more independent — and riskier — role in Afghanistan after the Taliban’s blitz takeover of Kabul sidelined the United States earlier than expected.

Ethiopian president visits Turkish parliament

Turkey views ties with Ethiopia as key to influence in Africa

Turkey’s quest for normalization with Egypt and a new beginning with Sudan hinges on how far Ankara takes its relations with Ethiopia amid a simmering water dispute in the region over Ethiopia’s mega dam on the Nile.

A masked Turkish special force police officer detains two men during a house raid to arrest suspected members of the Islamic State group, in Adana, on Nov. 10, 2017.

Islamic State suspects use Turkey’s remorse law to get off the hook

Taking advantage of the Turkish judicial system and the political climate besieging it, Islamic State suspects often receive sentence reductions under repentance provisions, even if they feign regret.

Bozkurt flood damage

Death toll rises to 74 as floods batter Turkey's Black Sea coast

More than 2,300 people have been evacuated since the flash floods erupted in northern Turkey on Wednesday.

A woman receives a dose of Pfizer BioNTech vaccine against Covid-19 at the Ankara City Hospital, in Ankara, Turkey, on June 7, 2021.

Turkey to offer Pfizer boosters for vaccinated travelers

Turkey will begin providing additional Pfizer jabs to fully vaccinated travelers wishing to visit countries that don't accept the Chinese-made Sinovac vaccine.

Turkey's Zehra Gunes (C) and Ebrar Karakurt (R) attempt to block a shot in the women's quarter-final volleyball match between South Korea and Turkey during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Arena in Tokyo on Aug. 4, 2021.

Turks rally around Olympic volleyball star attacked over sexuality

When a member of Turkey's Olympic volleyball team faced online abuse after posting intimate photos of herself with a woman on Instagram, Turks of all stripes spoke up in her defense.