Turkey wants PKK leader Ocalan to sway Kurdish-led SDF on joining Syria army Ankara seeks to leverage peace talks with PKK while renewing threats against the SDF. Turkey
Culture Turkey's women, LGBTQ artists top targets of Erdogan's drive for cultural hegemony From pop stars to performers, Turkey’s secular arts scene faces increasing pressure under Erdogan’s conservative push. Turkey
From F-35s to Ukraine: Erdogan-Trump talks signal reset, but sanctions obstacles remain The summit underscored both leaders’ personal chemistry while highlighting the limits of what the partnership can deliver. Turkey
Turkey’s Erdogan eyes F-35s, Kurdish concessions in White House talks with Trump Erdogan is pressing Washington for a return to the F-35 program and a rollback of US support for Kurdish forces, even as Congress signals resistance. Turkey
Exclusive UK-based oil firm victim of standoff between Damascus, Syria’s Kurds By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Russia explores way to draw UAE, Saudi Arabia to its Syria policies As relations with Turkey stall, Moscow seeks ways to engage with the Saudis and Emiratis to have them back in the Syrian game. Saudi Arabia
Idlib and the collapse of Erdogan’s foreign policy Gambling on Russia to secure results in Syria turns out to be Ankara’s biggest miscalculation Syria
Intel: US leans on Turkey despite tensions The top US military commander in Europe told Congress today that Turkey remains a key ally despite the Donald Trump administration’s decision to boot the NATO partner from the F-35 program after it took delivery of the Russian S-400 air defense system last summer. Syria
Intel: What's behind Erdogan's latest threat of imminent attack in Syria Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told the parliament yesterday that an operation against Syrian government forces in the rebel-held province of Idlib was “a matter of moments” after talks between Turkish officials and their Russian counterparts in Moscow failed to deliver “the desired result.” Syria
Why is Turkish Cypriot leader declared ‘enemy’ in Turkey? The leader of the Cypriot Turks angered Ankara in October for criticizing the Turkish incursion into Syria, but all hell has broken loose since he recently said that any move by Turkey to annex Northern Cyprus would be a “horrible” prospect. Turkey
Turkey grows erratic as clashes in Idlib escalate The Turkish government seems increasingly irrational as clashes intensify between Syrian government forces and Turkey-backed rebels in Idlib. Syria
Following Russian expansion, roadblocks in northeast Syria delineate zones of US control US forces have been preventing Russian patrols from advancing along the M4 highway and around al-Malikiyya in northeastern Syria near the Turkish and Iraqi borders. Syria
Intel: Why Russia went on counteroffensive against US criticism over Idlib The Russian Foreign Ministry announced the killing of “several Russian and Turkish military specialists” in the Idlid de-escalation zone. Syria
Intel: Pentagon pauses program that helps Turkey target PKK The United States has suspended providing real-time intelligence to Ankara that helped it target militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party. Turkey
Will developments in Idlib force Ankara to turn to the West again? Analysts say Turkey and Russia were always on a collision course in Syria due to their radically differing positions. Syria
Turkish-Russian alignment in Syria faces moment of truth The escalating offensives of Russian-backed regime forces in Idlib are changing the military picture in the whole of northwestern Syria, putting Russian-Turkish ties to a serious test. Syria
Putin’s thin red lines in Syria rattle Erdogan Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan still has limited options in the wake of Syria's retaking of a key town in Idlib province. Syria