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Turkey

August 27, 2026

Ankara 9:23 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

International humanitarian aid trucks cross into Syria's northwestern Idlib province through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey, on September 7, 2020. (Photo by AAREF WATAD / AFP) (Photo by AAREF WATAD/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkish border guards reportedly abusing Syrians at border crossings

Hundreds of Syrians try to cross every day to Turkey, whose borders are now closed, making them take illegal smuggling routes; dozens have been subjected to inhuman treatment by the Turkish border guards.

Why UAE’s landmark deal with Israel is bad for Turkey

Washington's doors are closing to Turkey while those same doors are being opened to Gulf monarchies.

Prime Minister of Libya's UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) Fayez al-Sarraj (L) meets with Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar in the capital Tripoli, on August 17, 2020. (Photo by - / AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

Why is Turkey acquiescing to Egypt’s role in Libya?

Egyptian mediation in Libya could prove a silver lining for Turkey as its ability to influence the conflict seems to wane, bearing also on its energy ambitions in the eastern Mediterranean.

A nurse prepares a shot of the A(H1N1) vaccine (Pandemrix from Glaxo Smith Kline -GSK- laboratory) to a hospital staff member in Istanbul, on November 2, 2009. Turkey began vaccinating medical workers Monday as the death toll from the A(H1N1) virus in the country reached six, the health ministry said. The latest victims of the disease were a 22-month-old baby and a 14-year-old boy who died overnight in the central city of Konya, a ministry statement said. Nine other people infected with swine flu were in

Turkey begins vaccine trials with foreign drugmakers

Turkey's health minister has announced the start of human trials in Turkey with Chinese, US and Russian vaccines and says the end of the crisis is in sight.

Turkey more diplomatically isolated than ever in Arab world

Many analysts believe that Ankara’s meddling in the Arab world’s affairs has contributed to pushing some of these regimes toward Israel.

Protesting lawyers lock arms as they march during a demonstration against a government draft bill on changing the system of bar associations on July 10, 2020, in Ankara. - Turkey's ruling party on June 30 presented a bill to parliament on changing the system of bar associations that opponents say will dent lawyers' independence and influence. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Rights advocates decry mass detention of Turkish lawyers

Dozens of Turkish lawyers accused of terror links remain in police detention after dawn raids on their homes in Ankara on Sept. 11, drawing criticism from international human rights groups.

A service vehicle with a sign reading 'Welcome to Incirlik' is pictured at the air base in Incirlik, Turkey, on January 21, 2016. / AFP / POOL / TOBIAS SCHWARZ (Photo credit should read TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Pentagon pushes back on claim that US to leave Turkey’s Incirlik base

Senator Ron Johnson said the United States is considering basing more forces on Crete as relations with Turkey deteriorate.

EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell (L) meets with the head of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord Fayez al-Sarraj in Tripoli on September 1, 2020. (Photo by - / AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

Possible resignation of Libya's PM raises questions over Ankara-Tripoli ties

Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj is reportedly planning to resign from his post and take on a caretaker role in the Tripoli government, a move that could complicate prior agreements with Ankara and raises questions over future bilateral ties.

UN points finger at Turkey over rights abuses in Syria

A biannual report by the United Nations Human Rights Council shows Turkish-backed groups inflicting multiple human rights abuses.

A Greek navy boat leaves the port of the tiny Greek island of Kastellorizo, officially Megisti, the most south-eastern inhabited Greek island in the Dodecanese, situated two kilometers off the south coast of Turkey on August 28, 2020. (Photo by Louisa GOULIAMAKI / AFP) (Photo by LOUISA GOULIAMAKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey backs off in EastMed, but for how long?

Turkey's step back in the eastern Mediterranean standoff may be a tactic to avoid EU sanctions instead of a genuine effort to de-escalate.

Tensions between Turkey, Turkish Cypriots escalate

The Turkish government and the Turkish Cypriot president have a row in advance of the Oct. 11 presidential election in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as tensions have been rising in the eastern Mediterranean; the president has not always been in line with Ankara.

Egypt rallies Arab League to counter Turkey's regional policies

Egypt called on Arab countries to adopt a unified policy to deter the Turkish interference in the Arab region, especially in Libya, Syria and Iraq.