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Turkey

Turkey

November 29, 2025

Ankara 11:15 pm

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Kurdish official Aldar Khalil, who played a key role in establishing Syria's semiautonomous Kurdish region in 2013, during an interview in Qamishli on Dec. 22, 2018.

Exclusive

Top PYD official Aldar Khalil: 'Syria is telling Kurds to separate'

Al-Monitor spoke exclusively to Aldar Khalil, a member of the executive council of the Democratic Unity Party (PYD), which shares power in the Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria, about the halted talks between Syria’s transitional government and the Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan greets Pope Leo XIV during a welcome ceremony at the Presidential Palace, Ankara, Nov. 27, 2025.

In first foreign visit, Pope Leo meets Erdogan, urges Turkey to uphold pluralism

On his inaugural foreign visit to Turkey, Pope Leo called for respect for pluralism after meeting with the Turkish president.

Andreas SOLARO / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Pope Leo in Turkey, navigating faith, politics and Orthodox tensions

The visit will bolster Turkey’s image on religious tolerance and shared positions with the Vatican while Ankara navigates sensitive issues surrounding the Halki Seminary and the Greek Patriarchate’s ecumenical status.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Latest News

Turkey sentences journalist over 4 years in jail for threatening Erdogan

Prominent Turkish journalist Fatih Altayli is pictured in this undated image.

Analysis

PKK leader Ocalan gains legitimacy in Turkey, bigger sway over Syria’s Kurds

People take part in a demonstration to call for the liberation of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) leader Abdullah Ocalan outside the European Council in Strasbourg, eastern France, on Sept. 15, 2025.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Turkey’s spy chief holds talks in Egypt over trapped Hamas militants

BASHAR TALEB/AFP via Getty Images

Culture

Turkey’s graphic-novel culture blossoms in face of censorship

cartoons

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

ILYAS AKENGIN/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey’s first national soccer game in Kurdish heartland hints at electioneering

The match was set in Diyarbakir by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as he faces a tough vote next year.

Netanyahu

Netanyahu, Erdogan pledge new era of Israeli-Turkish relations in phone call

Nine years after their last conversation, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke on the phone and promised to continue rapprochement between the two countries.

YASIN AKGUL/AFP via Getty Images

Turkish exporters, tourism sector cut prices

Amid the dramatic slump of the lira, Turkish exporters have sold goods at lower prices, while the country’s imports, chief among them energy, have grown more expensive, official data show.

An aerial picture shows the flag of the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

North Cyprus anniversary highlights renewed rivalry between Turkey, Greece

Ankara’s support for a two-state solution and efforts to legitimize Turkish Cypriot entity stir Greek anger.

SONNY TUMBELAKA/AFP via Getty Images

Erdogan, Biden talk NATO enlargement, security at G20

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and US leader Joe Biden held a rare meeting in the wake of the Turkish interior minister's accusations that Washington supports Kurdish militant groups.

Algeria's Energy Minister Mohamed Arkab.

Turkey eyes risky energy partnership with Algeria

Turkey’s plan for joint oil and gas exploration with Algeria raises the specter of operational and financial challenges for a country already under economic strain, experts say.

Pedestrians walk through Istiklal Ave. in Istanbul on Nov. 14, 2022.

Istanbul bomb attack could have repercussions in international arena

Turkey lashes out at ‘insincerity’ of US condolences for an attack targeting a crowded street after claiming that the Syrian ‘branch’ of the PKK ordered it.

Ed Ram/Getty Images

US, Russian spy chiefs meet in Turkey over Ukraine war

CIA chief warns his Russian counterpart "on the consequences of the use of nuclear weapons" during face-to-face talks in Ankara.

Istiklal Street memorial

Turkey points to Kurdish militants for deadly Istanbul bombing

Turkish security forces have arrested a Syrian woman they say confessed to carrying out the attack under instructions from Kobani, but both the Kurdistan Workers Party and Syrian Kurdish forces deny any involvement.

A tramway drives through a crowd in Istiklal avenue on Jan. 25, 2019 in central Istanbul.

Suspected terror attack in central Istanbul kills six, wounds dozens

At least six people were killed and dozens wounded in an explosion on one of Istanbul’s busiest streets.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (L) hold a press conference following their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Ankara on November 8, 2022.

The Turkey Briefing: Erdogan basks in the global limelight

In this weekly newsletter, Amberin Zaman rounds up the biggest Turkey stories from the region.

Turkey's Nationalist Movement Party's (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli.

Erdogan's nationalist ally supports talks with pro-Kurdish party

MHP leader Devlet Bahceli's decision to back negotiations with the HDP over a constitutional amendment hints at an election strategy for Turkey’s ruling alliance.