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Turkey

Turkey

August 26, 2026

Ankara 8:40 pm

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Top European 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

Turkey pursues normalization drive as COVID-19 case counts rise

Turkish officials to maintain lighter COVID-19 restrictions through much of the country, as new infection numbers rise and vaccination campaigns continue.

Erdogan’s Islamic credentials no longer a winning hand among Turkey’s Kurds

The ruling party’s increasingly strong alliance with nationalists has dampened support among the country’s Kurds.

Chad President Idriss Deby Itno (C) waves at supporters during a campaign rally in N'Djamena, Chad, on March 13, 2021. - Chad President Idriss Deby Itno kicked off his campaign for a sixth term on Saturday, calling for unity after rival protests were banned and broken up. (Photo by Renaud MASBEYE BOYBEYE / AFP) (Photo by RENAUD MASBEYE BOYBEYE/AFP via Getty Images)

Egypt seeks to block Turkish influence in Chad

Egypt is making every effort toward rapprochement with Chad to counterbalance Turkey’s influence in the African continent, especially after the defeat of Cairo’s ally in Libya.

Turkey and Egypt make first diplomatic contact since 2013

The two countries were at odds over the 2013 coup in Egypt that brought Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to power.

A thaw in Turkey’s relations with Egypt?

Gulf Cooperation Council reconciliation may have set in motion Ankara’s desire for a reset with Cairo.

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Israel, Cyprus, Greece conduct naval exercise amid tensions with Turkey

France also sent naval assets for the first time since last year's joint exercises.

Washington’s Afghan plan diplomatic godsend for Ankara

A US peace plan for Afghanistan, involving intra-Afghan talks in Turkey, could offer Ankara a chance to raise its international profile and break the ice with Washington.

A man waits to receive the COVID-19 vaccine the at Ankara City Hospital in Ankara on March 1, 2021. - The country started mass COVID-19 vaccination on January 14, after the authorities approved the emergency use of the Chinese CoronaVac vaccine. More than 8,857,445 people have been vaccinated so far. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey aims to vaccinate 50 million by fall, health minister says

Turkey, a country of 89 million people, has so far administered more than 10.5 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine.

Turkey, Russia, Qatar push for unlikely new Syria peace track

The trilateral meeting between the countries is meant to push for a political solution to Syria's 10-year-long conflict.

A picture taken at the port of Dilovasi, outside Istanbul, on June 20, 2019 shows the drilling ship 'Yavuz' scheduled to search for oil and gas off Cyprus. - Turkey is set to send a new ship on June 20 to search for oil and gas off Cyprus, in a move expected to escalate tensions after the EU called on Ankara to stop its "illegal drilling activities". The region near the divided island is believed have rich natural gas deposits, triggering a race between Turkey and the internationally recognised Cyprus, whic

Is Turkey-Egypt maritime agreement dead in the water?

Turkey's efforts to secure a demarcation agreement with Egypt in the eastern Mediterranean seem fruitless as Cairo remains indifferent to Ankara's signals.

Kurdish forces blame Turkey for Euphrates River water drop in northeast Syria

The Syrian Democratic Forces claim Turkey caused a drop in the Euphrates River water level that will harm residents and their economic activities in the areas they control in northern and eastern Syria.

ERBIL, IRAQ - MARCH 07: A nun waves a flag as Pope Francis arrives to conduct a mass at the Franso Hariri Stadium on March 07, 2021 in Erbil, Iraq. PPope Francis arrived in Erbil, the final stop of his historic four-day visit, the first-ever papal visit to Iraq. In his first foreign trip since the start of the pandemic, Pope Francis visited Baghdad, Najaf, Erbil, and the cities of Qaraqosh and Mosul, which were heavily destroyed by ISIS. Although the trip is seen as an act of solidarity, the Vatican has bee

Kurdish stamp commemorating pope's visit to Erbil fans Turkish conspiracy fears

Ankara is furious over a commemorative stamp design featuring a map of Iraqi Kurdistan that includes chunks of Turkey’s Kurdish-dominated southeast provinces.