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

Turkey

Turkey

February 19, 2026

Ankara 3:38 am

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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks during a press statement with his French counterpart in Ankara, on Jan. 27, 2026.

Fidan heads to US as Turkey eyes Gaza troop role: What to know

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar is also expected to attend the Board of Peace meeting, raising the prospect of the first face-to-face talks between top Turkish and Israeli diplomats since the war amid high-running tensions.

Marco Simoncelli / AFP via Getty Images

On first Horn of Africa trip in 10 years, Erdogan cautions Ethiopia over Somaliland

Turkey opposes Somaliland's recognition to protect its strategic military foothold in Mogadishu and the Red Sea.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan looks on as Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (not pictured) addresses the media during a joint press conference at the Presidential Complex, Ankara, Turkey, Feb. 11, 2026.

Turkey’s Erdogan heads to Ethiopia amid tensions over Horn of Africa

The Turkish leader is expected to raise Ankara’s concerns over Somalia’s territorial integrity while discussing ways to deepen bilateral ties with Addis Ababa.

This photograph taken on Jan. 20, 2026, organized by the Saudi-backed Yemeni government, shows Saudi-backed Yemeni forces in the city of Mukalla in Yemen's coastal southern Hadhramaut province.

Saudi-UAE rift complicates Israel's counter-Iran efforts, normalization

Israel fears that the rivalry between the UAE and Saudi Arabia will further push Riyadh toward countries that espouse political Islam policies.

Latest News

Analysis

Turkey courts Saudi Arabia on Kaan, but stealth fighter deal faces hurdles

Photo of a waving Turkish flag in the sky with a jet flyover behind, and a crowd below holding flags, captured on Izmir's liberation anniversary.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Culture

Israeli, Turkish stars named to NBA All-Star World team: What to know

SAN ANTONIO, TX - JANUARY 03: Deni Avdija #8 of the Portland Trailblazers drives over the San Antonio Spurs in the second half at Frost Bank Center on January 3, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

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 protestor holds a placard of Istanbul's detained Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu as they listen to the leader of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Ozgur Ozel during a rally protesting the 100th day of his detention at Sarachane Square in Istanbul on July 1, 2025. (Photo by Yasin AKGUL / AFP) (Photo by YASIN AKGUL/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey detains 30 as government crackdown on opposition deepens: What to know

Detainees include officials from Istanbul and Antalya municipalities and their family members as part of an ongoing corruption investigation into the Republican People’s Party (CHP) that critics say is politically motivated.

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Analysis

Armenia seeks to allay Iran's fears as US-backed land route with Azerbaijan advances

The planned corridor aims to connect key players in the South Caucasus but has raised tensions with Iran over access and control.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Oil tankers and cranes at Merchants Harbor, Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Analysis

As Trump plays Russia oil sanctions gambit, will Middle East profit or pay?

A potential US crackdown on Russian oil buyers could disrupt global trade flows — and the Middle East stands to both benefit and lose.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Turkey earthquake

6.1 earthquake strikes northwest Turkey, killing 1 and injuring dozens

The tremor centered in Balikesir killed one and injured dozens, sparking panic in surrounding provinces including Istanbul.

Turkish soldiers march, including some on horses, during a military parade marking the 102nd anniversary of the Victory Day at Vatan Street in Istanbul on Aug. 30, 2024.

Analysis

Turkey’s military shake-up: Adapting to new threats or political meddling?

A new personnel law reflects growing political influence over military decision-making, raising concerns about the military's meritocracy and autonomy.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (R) and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan meet in Abu Dhabi on July 10, 2025.

Trump poised to oversee historic 'peace deal' between Armenia, Azerbaijan

Turkey stands to gain direct access to Central Asia through a proposed corridor that cuts across Armenia’s southern border.

Badr Abdelatty

Turkey’s Fidan to visit Egypt with Libya, Gaza on agenda

The top Turkish diplomat’s Cairo visit comes as Ankara-Cairo engagement deepens amid shifting power balances in North Africa and shared concerns over Gaza.

AMEER AL-DOUMY/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey-France rivalry disrupts US-led mediation between Damascus, Syrian Kurds

Ankara is pressuring Damascus to cancel talks in Paris, fearing French support will tilt negotiations in favor of the Kurds, regional officials told Al-Monitor.

Turkish Foreign Ministry

Turkey’s Fidan visits Syria as Ankara pushes SDF to disarm: What to know

The top Turkish diplomat’s visit to Damascus comes as Ankara ramps up pressure for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces to lay down arms.

A fighter of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) aims a machine gun while lying prone during a joint military exercise with forces of the US-led "Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve" coalition against the Islamic State (IS) group in the countryside of the town of al-Malikiya (Derik in Kurdish) in Syria's northeastern Hasakah province on Sept. 7, 2022.

Turkey turns up heat on SDF to disarm as US Syria envoy returns to Damascus

While Turkey demands that the SDF disarms, Washington is trying to revive stalled talks between Kurdish forces and the new Syrian government in Damascus.