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Turkey

Turkey

July 16, 2026

Ankara 7:07 pm

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Ozgu Ozel

Turkish opposition leader Ozgur Ozel could launch new party by August

Ozgur Ozel’s remarks on a potential new party came as the legal crackdown on the main opposition widened further this week with the arrest and suspension of the mayor of Cankaya, one of the party’s most secure and symbolically important strongholds in the heart of Ankara.

Visitors stand inside Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque in Istanbul on April 14, 2025.

Russian couple faces deportation from Turkey after Bible reading at Hagia Sophia

The couple were detained after reading from the Bible inside the Istanbul landmark, which remains one of Christianity’s most important historic sites despite its conversion into a mosque.

Latest News

Turkey, Egypt expand military ties with cooperation frameworks: What to know

Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler and his Egyptian counterpart, Lt. Gen. Ashraf Salem Zaher, met at the Turkey’s Defense Ministry in Ankara, July 13, 2026.

Analysis

From S-400s to SAMP/T: Turkey’s defense pivot gathers pace after NATO summit

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pose after signing a defense partnership agreement on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, Wednesday, July 8, 2026.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

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

Why Iran's grand ayatollahs are fighting over Rumi

Two grand Ayatollahs have declared their opposition to production of a movie about the celebrated poem Rumi and his friend and mentor Shams al-Tabrizi, but it is not clear whether they can stop it.

Is Turkey able to handle influx of Islamic State prisoners?

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey can take custody of Islamic State prisoners at a time when every other country avoids the repatriation of their own citizens. But there are serious questions as to whether Turkey can handle the situation.

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