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

Turkey

Turkey

March 31, 2026

Ankara 10:09 am

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German soldiers stand to attention in front of a German Patriot missile launcher at the Gazi barracks in Kahramanmaras, southern Turkey on March 25, 2014.

Turkey says NATO defenses intercepted fourth missile from Iran

Turkey said NATO air defenses neutralized a ballistic munition launched from Iran that entered its airspace, marking the fourth such interception since March.

Sedat Suna/Getty Images

Analysis

Energy storage keeps Turkey stable, but long war risks fragile economy

Turkey avoids an immediate energy crunch thanks to storage and diversified supply, but soaring prices and prolonged disruption threaten inflation.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

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.

Latest News

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

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.

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

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.

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

Ghalibaf Fidan

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

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

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Turkish lira slips further as Central Bank unlikely to raise rates

The Turkish currency dipped further Monday as few economic analysts expect the nation’s Central Bank to reverse an easing cycle that’s kept borrowing costs below inflation.

Turkey's foreign policy becoming alarmingly militarized

Serious structural problems have hit Turkish foreign policy in the past two years, badly eroding its crisis-management and problem-solving capacities.

International humanitarian aid trucks cross into Syria's northwestern Idlib province through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing with Turkey, on September 7, 2020. (Photo by AAREF WATAD / AFP) (Photo by AAREF WATAD/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkish border guards reportedly abusing Syrians at border crossings

Hundreds of Syrians try to cross every day to Turkey, whose borders are now closed, making them take illegal smuggling routes; dozens have been subjected to inhuman treatment by the Turkish border guards.

Why UAE’s landmark deal with Israel is bad for Turkey

Washington's doors are closing to Turkey while those same doors are being opened to Gulf monarchies.

Prime Minister of Libya's UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) Fayez al-Sarraj (L) meets with Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar in the capital Tripoli, on August 17, 2020. (Photo by - / AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

Why is Turkey acquiescing to Egypt’s role in Libya?

Egyptian mediation in Libya could prove a silver lining for Turkey as its ability to influence the conflict seems to wane, bearing also on its energy ambitions in the eastern Mediterranean.

A nurse prepares a shot of the A(H1N1) vaccine (Pandemrix from Glaxo Smith Kline -GSK- laboratory) to a hospital staff member in Istanbul, on November 2, 2009. Turkey began vaccinating medical workers Monday as the death toll from the A(H1N1) virus in the country reached six, the health ministry said. The latest victims of the disease were a 22-month-old baby and a 14-year-old boy who died overnight in the central city of Konya, a ministry statement said. Nine other people infected with swine flu were in

Turkey begins vaccine trials with foreign drugmakers

Turkey's health minister has announced the start of human trials in Turkey with Chinese, US and Russian vaccines and says the end of the crisis is in sight.

Turkey more diplomatically isolated than ever in Arab world

Many analysts believe that Ankara’s meddling in the Arab world’s affairs has contributed to pushing some of these regimes toward Israel.

Protesting lawyers lock arms as they march during a demonstration against a government draft bill on changing the system of bar associations on July 10, 2020, in Ankara. - Turkey's ruling party on June 30 presented a bill to parliament on changing the system of bar associations that opponents say will dent lawyers' independence and influence. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Rights advocates decry mass detention of Turkish lawyers

Dozens of Turkish lawyers accused of terror links remain in police detention after dawn raids on their homes in Ankara on Sept. 11, drawing criticism from international human rights groups.

A service vehicle with a sign reading 'Welcome to Incirlik' is pictured at the air base in Incirlik, Turkey, on January 21, 2016. / AFP / POOL / TOBIAS SCHWARZ (Photo credit should read TOBIAS SCHWARZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Pentagon pushes back on claim that US to leave Turkey’s Incirlik base

Senator Ron Johnson said the United States is considering basing more forces on Crete as relations with Turkey deteriorate.

EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell (L) meets with the head of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord Fayez al-Sarraj in Tripoli on September 1, 2020. (Photo by - / AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

Possible resignation of Libya's PM raises questions over Ankara-Tripoli ties

Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj is reportedly planning to resign from his post and take on a caretaker role in the Tripoli government, a move that could complicate prior agreements with Ankara and raises questions over future bilateral ties.

UN points finger at Turkey over rights abuses in Syria

A biannual report by the United Nations Human Rights Council shows Turkish-backed groups inflicting multiple human rights abuses.

A Greek navy boat leaves the port of the tiny Greek island of Kastellorizo, officially Megisti, the most south-eastern inhabited Greek island in the Dodecanese, situated two kilometers off the south coast of Turkey on August 28, 2020. (Photo by Louisa GOULIAMAKI / AFP) (Photo by LOUISA GOULIAMAKI/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey backs off in EastMed, but for how long?

Turkey's step back in the eastern Mediterranean standoff may be a tactic to avoid EU sanctions instead of a genuine effort to de-escalate.