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

Turkey

Turkey

August 30, 2026

Ankara 1:06 pm

22°C

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrive for a joint press conference following their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Feb. 4, 2025.

Analysis

Why Turkey welcomes Israel-Syria talks despite mounting red lines

Turkey supports US-backed Israel-Syria talks but sees little prospect of a lasting accommodation until the Israeli elections.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Barcelona

Culture

In divided Cyprus, FC Barcelona youth camp sparks new dispute: What to know

A planned Barca Academy camp in northern Cyprus has offered more fuel to the controversy over the island’s unresolved divide, rasing tensions over recognition, access and international isolation.

Latest News

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

Omer Messinger/Getty Images

Explainer

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

Equality and Democracy Party lawmakers

Exclusive

Israel recalibrates Syria policy, explores path to security deal

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)

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

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

Trump announces sanctions against Turkey

The Treasury Department sanctions Turkey's defense, energy, and interior ministers over Turkey's incursion into northern Syria.

Pentagon insists US troops have the ability to defend themselves amid pullout

Top military officials say US troops departing northern Syria have the ability to defend themselves and adjust to a fluid situation.

U.S. President Donald Trump answers questions from reporters during an event to sign executive orders on "transparency in federal guidance and enforcement" in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, U.S., October 9, 2019. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst - RC1D0C443790

After Syria incursion, White House mulls sanctions on Erdogan

Washington is reportedly considering sanctions on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over Turkey’s military incursion into northern Syria, with enormous implications for the two allies' long strategic partnership.

How far will Egypt go to defend Syria?

Egypt has been spearheading efforts to halt Turkey's offensive in Syria and hosted an emergency Arab League meeting, but is this enough?

Operation Peace Spring: What is Turkish army's next step?

As Turkey’s operation in northeast Syria enters its fifth day, the center of gravity of the operation shifts toward the west.

US announces full withdrawal from northern Syria as Turkish forces advance

Defense Secretary Mark Esper says the United States will be withdrawing all troops from northeastern Syria and that he expects Syrian Kurds to seek aid from Russia and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Members of Syrian National Army, known as Free Syrian Army, drive in an armored vehicle in the Turkish border town of Ceylanpinar in Sanliurfa province, Turkey, October 11, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC1E596B3770

Who are Turkish-backed forces in latest Syria incursion?

Turkey consolidates motley armed groups with checkered backgrounds from the Aleppo, Idlib and Latakia regions under the Syrian National Army banner and deploys them to the east of the Euphrates.

A merchant counts Turkish lira banknotes at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey, March 29, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC1275079610

Turkish economy faces fresh turmoil over Syrian operation

Ankara’s new military campaign in Syria has raised the specter of fresh trouble for the crisis-hit Turkish economy, but the government hopes to compensate with political gains.

SANLIURFA, TURKEY - OCTOBER 10: A photo taken from Turkey's Sanliurfa province, on October 10, 2019 shows dark smoke rises at the site of Tell Abyad city of Syria after terrorists burnt tires to avoid being photographed by Turkish National Army's unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) as Turkish troops along with the Syrian National Army begin Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria against PKK/YPG, Daesh terrorists. (Photo by Arif Hudaverdi Yaman/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Pentagon blames Turkey for strikes near US troops in Syria

The Pentagon held Turkey responsible for shelling American units in the Syrian city of Kobani on Friday, in spite of denials from Ankara.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin speaks about sanctions against Turkey at a news briefing at the White House in Washington, U.S., October 11, 2019. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas - RC15A861E750

Intel: How Trump is trying to get ahead of Congress on Turkey sanctions

Smoke billows out after Turkish shelling on the Syrian border town of Ras Al Ain, as seen from Ceylanpinar, Turkey, October 11, 2019 in this still image taken from a video. REUTERS/ReutersTV - RC1DE85B2330

Who will pay $53 billion for Turkey’s safe zone project?

Turkey wants to build some 400,000 housing units in northeastern Syria where Operation Peace Spring is taking place in order to resettle some 2 million Syrian refugees.

An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man stands next to a Likud party election campaign banner depicting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump in Bnei Brak, Israel September 9, 2019. The words in Hebrew read, "Netanyahu, a different league" REUTERS/Ammar Awad - RC1F7BD95F00

Israel needs to learn lesson from Turkish assault on Kurds

After the Turkish attack on the Kurds, Israel must realize that when and if the time comes, US President Donald Trump might not stand by the Jewish state.