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

Turkey

Turkey

March 31, 2026

Ankara 3:23 pm

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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

Pro Kurdish supporters march by Austrian Parliament as approximately 2000 thousand people attended a protest in Vienna on October 10, 2014 to show solidarity for Syrian Kurds who are fighting to defend the Syrian-Turkey border town of Kobane from Islamic State (Isis) militants. AFP PHOTO / JOE KLAMAR (Photo credit should read JOE KLAMAR/AFP via Getty Images)

Austria says Turkish spy caught amid probe into Turkish-Kurdish clashes

Austria will prosecute an individual who reportedly confessed to spying on behalf of Turkey.

TOPSHOT - People clash with Turkish police ahead of the funeral of Turkish lawyer Ebru Timtik in the Gazi District of Istanbul on August 28, 2020. - A Turkish lawyer seeking a fair trial after being charged with membership of a terrorist organisation has died in an Istanbul hospital on the 238th day of her hunger strike. Friends said Ebru Timtik weighed just 30 kilogrammes (65 pounds) at the time of her death late August 27, which has sparked condemnation from opposition parties in Turkey as well as from a

Ankara accused of weaponizing pandemic measures against opposition

The Turkish government is accused of abusing pandemic restrictions to suppress the opposition and advance its own political agenda.

The Baghdad international airport is pictured following its reopening on July 23, 2020, after a closure forced by the coronavirus pandemic restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of the deadly COVID-19 illness in Iraq. (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP) (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE/AFP via Getty Images)

Flights between Turkey, Iraq suspended another month

Flights between the two countries won't resume before Oct. 1 amid reports of rising coronavirus cases.

Opposition lawmaker assaulted after Turkey’s interior minister targets him on Twitter

Turkish Workers’ Party member Baris Atay was attacked by a group of men when he exited a restaurant in Istanbul. The TiP reports that the "health condition of our comrade Barıs is good."

Turkey’s ‘city hospitals’ threaten a financial black hole

Turkey’s controversial “city hospitals” threaten to swallow up billions of dollars in public money by the time their 25-year contracts with the government end.

(L to R) Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, and Iraqi Foreign Minister Mohammed Ali Hakim meet in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on August 4, 2019. (Photo by SABAH ARAR / AFP) (Photo credit should read SABAH ARAR/AFP via Getty Images)

Egypt sends signal to Turkey by deepening ties with Jordan, Iraq

Amid accelerated regional threats and economic repercussions in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, a tripartite summit was held between the leaders of Egypt, Jordan and Iraq Aug. 25 to develop a security, diplomatic and economic bloc.

Turkish human rights lawyer dies after hunger strike

Ebru Timtik died on the 238th day of her strike, which she launched to draw attention to what rights groups have described as an unfair trial.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu (L) poses with the President of the Libyan Supreme Council of State Khalid Al-Mishri prior to a meeting in Libya's capital Tripoli, on August 6, 2020. (Photo by - / AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey’s militarized Africa opening fuels influence wars

The rivalry between Turkey and its regional adversaries has spilled over to the Horn of Africa and other regions in the continent beyond Libya, stoked by Ankara’s militarization of its outreach policy.

Exiled former senior Fatah member Mohammed Dahlan attends a Palestinian legislative Council meeting in Gaza City through video conference from the United Arab Emirates on July 27, 2017 following developments at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Palestinians were set to return to pray at a sensitive Jerusalem holy site after Israeli authorities removed controversial new security measures, potentially ending a nearly two-week crisis that sparked deadly unrest. Dahlan, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas's exiled r

Turkey tries to settle scores with Palestinian leader backed by the UAE

Interpol recently rejected Turkey’s request to arrest dismissed Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan, who is currently in the United Arab Emirates, but analysts believe this will not stop Ankara from pursuing Dahlan through other means.

United Arab Emirates

Turkey’s tilt toward Pakistan provokes India’s ire

An Indian intelligence reports sees Turkey as becoming a hub for anti-India activities second only to Pakistan.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - MAY 29: In this aerial photo taken with a drone, Turkish drilling vessel 'Fatih' sails up the Bosphorus towards the Black Sea on May 29, 2020 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images)

Turkey plans new naval drills in eastern Mediterranean

The Turkish navy will hold live-fire exercises in the eastern Mediterranean next week amid rising tensions with Greece.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives for a press conference following the weekly cabinet meeting at the Presidential Complex in Ankara on August 24, 2020. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Is Erdogan trying to split NATO with his East Med gambit?

Confronted with various problems at home, including deepening financial woes, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan resorts to aggressive and expansionist foreign policy moves to consolidate his support base through fueling nationalism.