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

Turkey

Turkey

September 14, 2026

Ankara 7:06 am

19°C

People swim next to the Russian-flagged cargo ship OMSKIY-107, which was attacked off the Black Sea coast and eventually ran aground off the shore of the Sile district, Istanbul, Sept. 3, 2026.

Why Turkey has few options to protect Black Sea shipping

The Russia-Ukraine drone war is hitting Turkish commercial interests, exposing the limits of Ankara’s ability to protect shipping while remaining outside the conflict.

Fighters loyal to the Houthi authorities gather during a rally to recruit more fighters in Sanaa on Sept. 10, 2026.

Analysis

Saudi Arabia's Houthi crisis tests alliances with Trump, Turkey and Pakistan

As the Houthis tighten their grip on the Bab al-Mandeb, Saudi Arabia is turning to new regional alliances while Washington resists calls to intervene.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Latest News

Turkey’s defense giants court Egypt at Alamein Airshow: What to know

El Alamein International Airshow

Russia to give Turkey preferential fertilizer access amid Hormuz supply crunch

In this pool photograph distributed by the Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hold a meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek on September 1, 2026. (Photo by Kristina Solovyova / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

Culture

Turkish ceramicist Leyla Borovali shapes Aegean heritage into clay

Leyla Borovali at her studio overlooking the Aegean

Analysis

With Hurjet test, Turkey seeks defense dominance beyond drones

TAI Hurjet

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

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

Why Turkey's rappers can no longer stay silent

In a 15-minute-long song aptly titled "#ICannotBeSilent," Turkish rappers take turns expressing their woes on issues such as justice, freedom, environment, abuse and exile.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speak during their meeting on the sidelines of the MAKS-2019 International Aviation and Space Salon in Zhukovsky outside Moscow, Russia, August 27, 2019. Maxim Shipenkov/Pool via REUTERS - RC147D99BA60

Putin can’t save Erdogan from Idlib quagmire

The Russian president ultimately sees Bashar al-Assad as the solution to Turkey’s border crisis, but is playing a long game.

Crisis-hit Turkey suffers erosion in investments

Turkey’s economic downturn has been marked by a dramatic decline in investments, both private and public, bearing heavily on joblessness.

Failure to reign in Idlib jihadists makes trouble for Turkey

A year after the Sochi agreement, the situation in Syria’s northwest remains as tense as ever.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan addresses his supporters during a ceremony marking the third anniversary of the attempted coup at Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, Turkey, July 15, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC191F892920

Erdogan hints at nuclear ambitions

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed interest in acquiring nuclear weapons, and while international treaties would make the feat difficult to accomplish, his rhetoric implies shifting global ambitions.

UNESCO-listed Anatolian town gets contemporary museum

The Odunpazari Modern Museum aims to develop the cultural offer in the Anatolian town of Eskisehir.

A general view of Atmeh camp for the displaced, in Atmeh town, Idlib province, Syria May 19, 2019. Picture taken May 19, 2019. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi - RC1638EEED70

Erdogan warns of 'annihilation' in Syria’s Idlib

Turkey’s president is lamenting the bombardment of Syria’s last opposition bastion as the latest cease-fire is tested and trapped civilians may be forced to flee across the border.

A motorbike burns after an airstrike in this screen grab taken from a social media video said to be taken in Idlib, Syria on July 16, 2019. Picture taken July 16, 2019. White Helmets/social media via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC1FFC6630A0

US calls on Russia to cease Idlib fight amid terror strikes

The Pentagon called for Russia to halt its offensive into Syria’s Idlib province as the United States launched strikes into the contested region aimed at al-Qaeda leaders.

People shop at a bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey, May 29, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC1904437D30

Key economic data suggests Turkey turning corner

Slowing inflation and a smaller-than-expected contraction in the economy could mean Turkey is emerging from a year-long downturn.

Daring new TV show offers close glimpse into mysterious Ankara nightlife

Nightclubs, or pavyons as they are called in Turkish, form a well-known but evasive culture with its extravagance and debauchery in Turkey's capital.

Syrian pistachio farmers watch crops wither as Turks fire on border region

Turkish gunfire is preventing pistachio growers in the border areas of Kobani and Manbij from harvesting their crops.

Despite fresh forces, Syrian opposition losing ground in Idlib

The Turkish-supported Free Syrian Army is sending more forces from its National Army to shore up the opposition in its fight against Syrian regime troops in Idlib province.