Turkey - AL-Monitor: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent since 2012

Turkey

Turkey

March 26, 2026

Ankara 8:51 pm

8°C

A handing over of command ceremony at Union III Camp in the Green Zone of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, on May 22, 2025.

Turkey confirms Iraq troop withdrawal as NATO pulls back due to Iran war

The confirmation of the withdrawal came as part of NATO’s decision to withdraw its forces in its Iraq mission amid Iran war.

Two Typhoon Eurofighter jets of the Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) of the German air force (Luftwaffe) take off for training during a media day at the military Laage Air Base, northeastern Germany, on March 11, 2026.

Turkey, UK advance $11B Eurofighter jet deal with training agreement

Britain and Turkey signed a training and support agreement marking “the next phase” of Ankara’s entry into the Eurofighter program, building on a £8 billion jet deal signed last year.

Journalists gather outside the Ankara courthouse on March 10, 2020 behind a banner reading in Turkish "journalism is not crime," to protest over jailing of journalists, sparked by the recent arrest of OdaTV's news director and a journalist's report on the funeral of a Turkish intelligence officer apparently killed in Libya.

Journalist who investigated Erdogan’s son jailed on 'disinformation' charges in Turkey

Human rights organizations warn Ari’s detention signals a broader campaign against journalists probing government corruption and elite networks.

Ghalibaf Fidan

US proposes Vance-Ghalibaf talks with Turkey as one intermediary: Source

Iran has yet to respond to the proposal, the source said, as the US announced it was pausing strikes on Iran's energy infrastructure for five days.

Latest News

Analysis

Iran war drives Turkey-Gulf defense alignment, but not alliance

United Arab Emirates army helicopters fly from the Burj al Arab hotel (R) toward Burj Khalifa, Dubai, Jan. 16, 2026.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Turkey, Qatar pledge to deepen defense ties, blame Israel for Iran war

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) and Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani (2L) arrive to address a joint press conference in Doha on March 19, 2026. (Photo by Karim JAAFAR / AFP via Getty Images)

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

People shop at an open-air market in Ankara.

Turkish inflation nears 20% on rising food, energy costs

While Turkey’s latest official inflation figures beat expectations, raising some concerns over data integrity, consumer prices are expected to keep rising amid growing global energy costs.

Turkey economy

Interest payments top education, healthcare in Ankara’s 2022 budget

Funds allocated to interest payments account for 13% of all spending in Ankara’s draft budget for next year, outstripping education and healthcare spending.

A journalist stands in front of a poster featuring jailed businessman and philanthropist Osman Kavala.

Ankara faces new calls to release philanthropist Osman Kavala

On the fourth year of his imprisonment, Turkish philanthropist Osman Kavala issued a statement from prison, expressing hope that others will face a fairer trial.

Burak Kara/Getty Images

Energy prices threaten to aggravate Turkey’s economic woes

Natural gas prices have shot up in Turkey, where heavy reliance on foreign energy sources leave the economy vulnerable.

Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu delivers a speech during a press conference in Ankara, on April 22, 2019.

Legal ambiguity becomes the norm in Erdogan’s Turkey

Recent comments by top Turkish officials promoting disregard for some laws has activists, opposition figures and journalists concerned that they alone will be the ones subject to restrictions and regulations, with AKP supporters given leeway.

A displaced Yazidi casts her vote for the parliamentary elections at a camp some 15 kilometers from the northern city of Dahuk in the autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan region, on Oct. 8, 2021.

Iraq's elections weaken PKK in Sinjar

Iraq's October elections may have strengthened the Iraqi Kurdistan administration's hands in the Yazidi enclave of Sinjar.

US President Joe Biden (L) greets Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

In troubled US-Turkey relations, F-16 deal seen as path for dialogue

US President Joe Biden and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Sunday to discuss an F-16 fighter jet purchase, which analysts see as an avenue for “positive” dialogue amid bilateral tensions.

OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey's Erdogan backs out of Glasgow climate summit

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erodgan made the last-minute decision to skip the UN climate summit on Monday, saying British authorities failed to meet his security demands.

Turkey flag

Turkey eyes five new targets for possible offensive in Syria

Turkey has ramped up military activity on the ground in Syria following a parliamentary extension of the government's mandate to carry out cross-border operations. Yet, such an operation still seems unlikely without Washington and Moscow’s approval.

A Russian Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jet taxis on a runway during an air show at the Teknofest festival at Ataturk Airport, Istanbul, Turkey, Sept. 17, 2019.

Intel: Pentagon holds 'productive' talks with Turkey over F-35 dispute

All eyes are on next week's Glasgow summit as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seeks to talk F-35s and F-16s with US President Joe Biden.

Bunches of bananas, which were to be disposed of by a supermarket, sit in a crate at food-waste charity The Felix Project's warehouse in Park Royal on Feb. 27, 2019 in London, England.

Syrians to be deported for eating bananas 'provocatively' in Turkey

As tensions soar between Turks and their country's 4 million refugees, a viral trend of young Syrians posting videos of themselves eating bananas has ended in some set to be deported.

US President Joe Biden (R) speaks with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

With F-16 deal in limbo, Erdogan-Biden meeting postponed to Glasgow

Following a diplomatic row this week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters Tuesday he would seek to confirm a divisive F-16 deal with US counterpart Joe Biden at the COP26 conference in Glasgow.