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Turkey

Turkey

September 28, 2026

Ankara 4:24 pm

15°C

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (3rd R) with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud (R) and Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar (2nd R), Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman (C), Turkish Chief of the General Staff General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu (L), Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif (2nd R), Pakistani Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir (3rd R) at the first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee in relation to the

Analysis

Why Turkey is drawing the line at defense in its support for Saudi Arabia

Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia are forcing Mecca pact signatories to quickly operationalize their agreement, but are unlikely to draw Turkey into direct action against the Iran-backed group.

Ezgi Akin

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Turkish soldiers conduct military exercises near the Habur crossing gate between Turkey and Iraq on Sept. 27, 2017 in the Silopi district, southeast Turkey.

Analysis

Can Turkey’s Bashiqa withdrawal pave the way for deeper Iraq ties?

Ankara hopes the planned handover of its Bashiqa base will deepen security cooperation with Baghdad and unlock broader economic ties, but implementation hinges on restoring Iraqi state authority in Sinjar, where previous efforts to remove armed groups have stalled.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Latest News

Turkey warns Greece-Cyprus-Israel power cable needs Ankara's approval

Servicemen of Yavuz class, TCG Turgutreis (F-241) warship, stand at attention on the deck as they participate in the live-fire phase of the "Blue Homeland-2026" (Mavi Vatan) tactical military exercises in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, in Antalya on April 9, 2026.

Explainer

Turkey agrees to hand over contentious Bashiqa base to Iraq

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi meets with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in New York City, Sept. 23, 2026.

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

Demonstrators hold placards with some featuring a picture of Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan during a protest against internet censorship in Istanbul May 15, 2011. Thousands of people marched in central Istanbul to protest against the government's plan to filter the internet. REUTERS/Murad Sezer (TURKEY - Tags: CIVIL UNREST POLITICS) TEMPLATE OUT - RTR2MG6S

Erdogan takes on the Internet

The Turkish government is drafting legislation to restrict public access to certain websites.

A Free Syrian Army fighter carries his weapon as he stands in front of graffiti that reads "Daesh (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant ) down" at Masaken Hanano neighborhood in Aleppo January 7, 2014. Five days of heavy rebel infighting has shaken the ISIL, which lost its main base in the northern city of Aleppo to rival rebels on Wednesday, according to a monitoring group. Picture taken January 7, 2014. REUTERS/Jalal Alhalabi (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT MILITARY) - RTX1767F

Islamic Front no answer for Syria conflict

The ascendance of the Islamic Front, while contributing to the recent military defeats of the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS), may also be a setback for Geneva II and a political solution to the conflict.

Ahmad Jarba, leader of Syria's opposition National Coalition (L-R), French Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Fabius, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Egypt's Foreign Minister Nabil Fahmy and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry attend a news conference at the French foreign ministry during a "Friends of Syria" meeting ahead of Geneva II peace talks, in Paris, January 12, 2014. The "Friends of Syria", an alliance of mainly Western and Gulf Arab countries who oppose Syrian President Bashar al-As

The new pulse of Geneva II

The trend in the Geneva II process shifts to cooperation on humanitarian and counterterrorism issues; Erdogan under fire in Turkey.

Will Turkish corruption scandal lead to return of military to politics?

The Turkish military is showing signs of dissatisfaction with the government’s response to the corruption scandal.

For Russia, terrorism priority at Syria conference

US-Russian cooperation will be key to success at Geneva II.

turkey pic.JPG

Turks quietly find love online

While official statistics suggest that very few Turks are finding their partners on the Internet, dating website figures tell another story.

A boy holds bread as he walks in front of the Syrian opposition flag during a protest against Syria's President Bashar al-Assad and fighters from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Aleppo's Salaheddine neighbourhood January 10, 2014. REUTERS/Hosam Katan (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT) - RTX178MM

As Assad lingers, Turkey focuses on ISIS

Despite its predictions and aspirations, Turkey has lost what grip it had on many of today's political and military conflicts, to the amusement and satisfaction of many in the region.

Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki waits to take an oath at the house of parliament in Baghdad December 21, 2010. Iraq's parliament approved Nuri al-Maliki as prime minister on Tuesday, giving the Shi'ite leader a second term as Iraq tries to cement fragile security gains and build its fledging democracy. REUTERS/Saad Shalash (IRAQ - Tags: POLITICS IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTXVXLT

The crisis of Iraqi 'democracy'

Many in Iraq have grown to despise the concept of "democracy" over the last 10 years because of the country’s limited experience with it and their failure to build a true, consensual democracy.

Pharaonic artefacts are seen on display at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, September 30, 2013. Visitors are gradually returning after the worst civil violence in Egypt's modern history, offering hope to an industry that has been brought to its knees, depriving millions of their livelihood and the economy of badly needed dollars. Picture taken September 30, 2013. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS SOCIETY TRAVEL) - RTX14AM8

Egypt conducts global search for stolen antiquities

Following successful diplomatic efforts to recover 90 smuggled artifacts from Israel last November, Egyptian authorities continue their efforts to crack down on the antiquities trade and repatriate stolen items.

An African migrant sits with compatriots on the third day of protests against Israel's detention policy toward migrants it sees as illegal job-seekers, in Tel Aviv's Levinsky park January 7, 2014. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun (ISRAEL - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST SOCIETY IMMIGRATION) - RTX17549

African refugees teach Israeli society lesson in civics

After years of ignoring the fate of African asylum seekers, the human dilemma has risen to the top of Israel's public discourse, forcing the authorities to confront it.

Turkish soldiers with armoured vehicles guard the entrance of Apaydin refugee camp in Hatay province, on the Turkish-Syrian border, May 12, 2013. Turkey accused a group loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday of carrying out car bombings that killed 46 people in a Turkish border town of Reyhanli and said the risk of unrest spreading to Syria's neighbours was increasing. Syrian Information Minister Omran Zubi denied any Syrian involvement and rejected what he called "unfounded accusations". REUTE

Turkey declares vanishing truck to Syria 'state secret'

Turkey’s government has used the "state secret" shield to conceal the cargo of a truck suspected of transporting arms to Syria and banished the prosecutor who attempted to search the vehicle.

An Egyptian soldier guards the border between Egypt and southern Gaza Strip September 16, 2013. The Egyptian army is clearing buildings deemed a security threat at a distance of up to one km (0.6 miles) from the Gaza border, an army spokesman said on Sunday, accusing groups in the Hamas-run territory of mounting joint attacks with Sinai militants. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY) - RTX13N6S

Hamas, Egypt ties hit new low

Hamas has accused Egypt's rulers of using the Palestinian group as a scapegoat to distract the Egyptian people from internal woes.