Analysis Water for influence: Turkey moves to ease Iraq's water shortages ahead of elections Turkey took the step in a bid to ensure that relations with Iraq's current and future leaderships remain manageable after the vote. By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Exclusive PKK leader Ocalan appeals to Iraqi Kurdistan president for help in Turkey peace talks In a letter shared exclusively with Al-Monitor, the jailed PKK leader asks Barzani to help advance negotiations aimed at ending decades of conflict with Turkey. By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Turkey, Syria hold high-level security summit as SDF integration talks ramp up The summit comes as Turkey and Syria coordinate over the future of the Kurdish-led SDF, amid US mediation efforts to meet the year-end integration deadline with Damascus. Turkey
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
Despite defeat of IS, Syria war risks major power conflict The United States and Russia should abandon "proxy wars" and back a new UN Security Council resolution for a regional peace conference. Israel
Ankara’s Syria incursion risks sparking long-term ethnic feud in Turkey Turkey’s military intervention into Afrin might disrupt the social ties between Turkey’s Kurds and Turks permanently and spark an ethnic Turkish-Kurdish feud that could last for generations. Syria
US maintains mystery about long-term intentions in Syria Remember that "border force" the US said it was, and then wasn't, forming in Syria? Apparently, it's already there. Iraq
Sochi summit exposes limitations of Moscow's Syria policy The Sochi meeting was crippled from the very beginning because of Turkey's military offensive in Afrin and the alienation of the Kurds. Syria
Ankara uses Afrin campaign to showcase Turkish-made weapons Amid snubs by Western arms suppliers, leaders in Ankara are eager to highlight progress in the Turkish defense industry during the military offensive on Afrin. Turkey
Syrians divided by Turkish offensive on Afrin Some Syrians support Turkey's military operation in Afrin as it could provide an opportunity for them to return home, but others fear Turkey's intentions are far from noble. Originals
Olive Branch wins Erdogan friends at home, but risks standoff with US Despite the success of Ankara's Syrian military operation in closing Turkish ranks around him, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has raised the possibility of a military confrontation between Turkey and the United States. Syria
Is US bailing on Syrian Kurds? Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ignores appeals for restraint in northern Syria, appears to have gotten Washington to end support for the YPG. Syria
Erdogan's plans for Afrin might not sit well with Syria Turkey's president is talking about settling Syrian refugees in Afrin, suggesting that Kurds are not the dominant community there, and handing over the region to anti-regime groups. Syria
4 factors affecting Turkey's new operation in Syria As Turkey’s offensive against Kurdish forces in Syria nears the end of its first week, circumstances affecting the scope, progress and duration of the operation are complicated and full of risks. Syria
Russia’s role in Turkish incursion into Syria is tricky Turkey’s ironically named Operation Olive Branch, its latest quest to crush the Kurds on its border, will likely affect Moscow’s carefully engineered Syrian peace process. Syria
Erdogan scores big with Afrin operation, but problems remain Military experts say taking Afrin will be a tactical success for Ankara, but Turkey’s Kurdish concerns in Syria appear to be far from over. Syria
