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

Turkey

Turkey

November 9, 2026

Ankara 10:17 am

2°C

MEHMET ESER/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Will Democrats block Trump’s push to deliver Turkey F-35s, lift sanctions?

Democratic control of Congress complicates Turkey’s push for F-35s and sanctions relief, but Ankara remains hopeful Trump can still broker a deal.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Costa Rica's Grynspan extends lead in UNSG poll as Nusseibeh places fourth

The Costa Rican candidate received 12 encourage votes in Thursday's UN Security Council straw poll.

United Arab Emirates

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses Turkish members of parliament during the opening of the parliamentary session at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in Ankara, on Oct. 1, 2026.

Turkey’s parliament ratifies Mecca pact in boost to Saudi Arabia

Turkey will now decide the scope of military support for Saudi Arabia amid ongoing Iran-backed Houthi attacks on the kingdom.

Latest News

Can Erdogan’s Baku visit fix Turkey-Azerbaijan rift?

TOFIK BABAYEV/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey says soldier killed by gunfire from Iran at border: What to know

A sign marking the border of Turkey in Van, Turkey, on March 14, 2026.

Turkey probes Google’s AI search tools, orders protections for news websites

Turkey moves PKK leader Ocalan to prison villa as peace process faces new test

A protestor holds a flag bearing a portrait of jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) Abdullah Ocalan during a demonstration of Kurdish people from all around Europe to mark the 27th anniversary of his arrest and to demand his liberation, in Strasbourg, Eastern France, on Feb. 14, 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

Rojava leader: Turkey cannot stop Kurds from advancing in Syria

In an interview with Al-Monitor, Fawza al-Yusuf, a board member of the Democratic Federal System for Rojava-Northern Syria, spoke about the battle for Raqqa, Turkey's involvement in the conflict and Syria's future.

Iranian media lauds Putin's restraint after assassination

Following the assassination of Russia’s ambassador to Turkey, Iranian newspapers praised President Vladimir Putin for his “wise” decisions after the killing.

Turkey’s entanglement in Syria sparks violence, assassination at home

As Turkey gets more into the Syrian swamp, the Syrian spillover into Turkey could turn into a flood.

Is Turkey going to reinstate the caliphate?

Erdogan’s populist slogan “National will demands this” is pulling the country into a quagmire.

Eurasia Tunnel overshadows murder of Russian envoy in Turkey

The opening of Istanbul's Eurasia Tunnel, the second underwater passageway connecting Europe and Asia under the Bosporus, has been a chance for some pro-Erdogan media outlets to sideline coverage of the murder of Russian Ambassador Andrei Karlov.

Why Aleppo will serve to embolden Iran

While having paid a steep price for standing by its regional allies, Iran increasingly appears to be achieving its objectives in Syria.

Turkey blames usual suspects for murder of Russian ambassador

Few people in Turkey are entertaining the possibility that the killing of Russian Ambassador Andrei Karlov by an off-duty police officer was a "lone wolf" attack.

Animosity toward Iran reaches fever pitch in Turkey after Aleppo

Agitation against predominantly Shiite Iran by Sunni Islamists has resulted in calls for attacks on Turkey’s Alevis for vengeance.

Who's behind Russian diplomat's murder in Ankara?

Turkish officials are seeking the true motive behind the slaying of Russian Ambassador Andrei Karlov at a public event in Ankara Dec. 19.

Thousands flee Aleppo as regime regains control

Three years after the opposition took control of Aleppo’s eastern neighborhoods, the Syrian regime’s army, with the help of foreign militias, entered the city and began evacuating civilians to the city’s countryside.

Turkey gripped by terror as Russian ambassador killed in Ankara

Turkish media outlets are scrambling to cover the killing of Russia's ambassador to Turkey, a break from their calls to attack the Kurdistan Workers Party's bases in response to the suicide attack that killed 13 Turkish conscripts on leave in the central Anatolian town of Kayseri.

Is Turkey recruiting militants evacuated from Aleppo?

After the Aleppo rout, Turkey considers boosting the ranks of its Free Syrian Army ally fighting in Operation Euphrates Shield, while fortifying the buffer zone and raising the bar in bargaining with Damascus.