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Turkey

Turkey

April 29, 2026

Ankara 12:43 am

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Cadets of the Saiqa Force (Special Forces) of the self-styled Libyan National Army affiliated with eastern strongman Khalifa Hifter take part in a graduation ceremony in tribute to the force's late commander, Wanis Bukhamada, in the eastern city of Benghazi, on Jan. 20, 2022.

In first, Libya’s rival armies to join drill in Turkey: What to know

The move follows the first joint exercise inside Libya amid renewed international efforts to unify the country.

Turkey's submarines and fast-attack craft ships participate in the live-fire phase of the Blue Homeland-2026 (Mavi Vatan) tactical military exercises in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, in Antalya on April 9, 2026.

Turkey’s military spending jumps to $30B, leads Mideast growth in 2025

Newly released data shows Ankara’s military spending hit $30 billion, while Saudi Arabia remained the region’s top spender and Israel’s outlays declined in 2025.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hosted the third meeting of the foreign ministers of Turkey, Egypt, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on the margins of the 5th Antalya Diplomacy Forum, on April 17, 2026.

Analysis

Why Saudi Arabia, Egypt are wary of Turkey’s proposed 4-way defense pact with Pakistan

The proposed framework faces major hurdles and fault lines, ranging from NATO constraints to Israeli opposition and weak military integration.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

CORLU, TURKEY- MARCH 2: A B model of Bayraktar AKINCI TİHA (Assault Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) in the sky on March 2, 2022 in Corlu, Turkey. (Photo by Baykar Press Office/dia images via Getty Images)

Turkey’s Baykar tests K2 swarm kamikaze drones for first time: What to know

Baykar tested its K2 and new loitering drones, featuring AI-driven swarm capabilities and the ability to operate under GPS jamming.

Latest News

Trump envoy Barrack’s embrace of 'strong leaders' sparks fury in Turkey

US Ambassador to Turkey Thomas Barrack attends a meeting with President Donald Trump and President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the Oval Office at the White House on Sept. 25, 2025, in Washington, DC.

How Syria's border opening with Iraq redefines Turkey-Kurd balance

Members of Iraq's security forces stand guard on the the al-Rabia border crossing with Syria on April 20, 2026.

Analysis

Italy’s TB3 drone deal signals turn toward Turkey amid US-NATO tensions

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni shake hands during the press conference following their meeting at Villa Doria Pamphilj, on April 29, 2025, in Rome, Italy.

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

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives at a news conference in Istanbul, Turkey April 16, 2017. Picture taken April 16, 2017. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RTS12L9W

Is calm transition possible after Turkey's referendum?

With a thin win in major cities and allegations of voter fraud and illegal maneuvering, how long can Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stifle a budding movement resisting the referendum outcome?

A billboard carrying a picture of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and a slogan that reads: "Yes. It is for the people to speak and to decide" is seen on a building ahead of the constitutional referendum in Istanbul, Turkey April 13, 2017. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RTX35F8G

Latest polls put 'yes' camp ahead in Turkey’s referendum

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan seems closer than ever to his dream of an executive presidency as the newest polls give him a slight edge.

A street vendor sells t-shirts with portraits of modern Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan during a rally for the upcoming referendum in the Black Sea city of Rize, Turkey, April 3, 2017. Picture taken April 3, 2017. REUTERS/Umit Bektas - RTX34ZRF

Divided Turkey heads for historic referendum

Using underhanded tactics, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is campaigning to become Turkey’s sole and unencumbered leader as his supporters say this will make Turkey soar as an economic and political power.

TOPSHOT - A demonstrator holds a placard reading "Free Press Free Society", outside the Istanbul courthouse on April 1, 2016, where Turkish opposition Cumhuriyet daily's editor-in-chief Can Dundar and Ankara bureau chief Erdem Gul attend their trial.
Cumhuriyet daily's editor-in-chief Can Dundar and Ankara bureau chief Erdem Gul face possible life terms on spying charges over a news report accusing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government of seeking to illicitly deliver arms bound for neighbouring Syria.

Turkey's last Ergenekon trial ends as all defendants acquitted

The 13 defendants in the Turkey's controversial "Odatv trial" have been acquitted in the final case of Turkey's Ergenekon trials, but few Turks feel that justice was served.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan addresses his supporters during a rally for the upcoming referendum in Istanbul, Turkey, April 8, 2017. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RTX34QH8

How Erdogan uses Turkey's mosques to push 'yes' vote

With the battle over Turkey's constitutional referendum, state-paid imams have become Erdogan’s best advocates for the 'yes' campaign.

Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu casts his ballot at a polling station in Ankara, Turkey, November 1, 2015. Turks began voting on Sunday amid worsening security and economic worries in a snap parliamentary election that could profoundly impact the divided country's trajectory and that of President Tayyip Erdogan. The parliamentary poll is the second in five months, after the ruling AK Party founded by Erdogan failed to retain its single-party majority in Jun

AKP, CHP exchange fire over coup as referendum ballots print

Turkey's ruling party and opposition leadership are trading accusations of complicity and cowardice in the July coup in a race to discredit each other as the constitutional referendum nears.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan attends a news conference after the talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, March 10, 2017. REUTERS/Sergei Ilnitsky/Pool - RTS12BWW

Ankara welcomes US action in Syria, but doubts remain

Opinion in Turkey is divided after Washington’s missile strike on Syria, reflecting a mix of enthusiasm, wishful thinking and realism.

Civil defense members inspect the damage at a site hit by airstrikes on Tuesday, in the town of Khan Sheikhoun in rebel-held Idlib, Syria April 5, 2017. REUTERS/Ammar Abdullah - RTX3474G

After chemical attack, Turkey renews calls for Assad’s ouster

Is Turkey bringing back its previous policy regarding Syrian President Bashar al-Assad?

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan addresses his supporters during a rally for the upcoming referendum in the Kurdish-dominated southeastern city of Diyarbakir, Turkey, April 1, 2017. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RTX33N12

Fears of foul play hang over Turkish referendum

In the final stretch before Turkey’s critical referendum, “no” voters are concerned about government meddling and electoral fraud in what is expected to be a nail-biting vote on the country’s future.

An internally displaced boy sits on the ground near a school in the village of al-Heesha in Raqqa district after it was captured from Islamic State, north of Raqqa city, Syria November 15, 2016. REUTERS/Rodi Said - RTX2TU3Q

Displaced Raqqa teachers prepare for rebuilding education post-IS

On April 2, a group of teachers from Raqqa held a meeting in southern Turkey to discuss how to proceed with restoring schooling and education once their city is liberated from the Islamic State.

Kurdish Regional Government President Masoud Barzani speaks to the media during his visits in the town of Bashiqa, after it was recaptured from the Islamic State, east of Mosul, Iraq, November 16, 2016. REUTERS/Azad Lashkari - RTX2TYYB

Could Kurds hold independence referendum this year?

The Kurdistan Democratic Party is rushing to organize an independence referendum; however, there is no agreement on this matter among other Kurdish parties, and Baghdad, Iran and Turkey have strong reservations.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA - APRIL 7: In this handout provided by the U.S. Navy, the guided-missile destroyer USS Ross fires a Tomahawk land attack missile April 7, 2017 in the Mediterranean Sea. The Arleigh Burke-class Ross was one of two destroyers that fired a total of 59 cruise missiles at a Syrian military airfield in retaliation for a chemical attack that killed scores of civilians this week. The attack was the first direct U.S. assault on Syria and the government of President Bashar al-Assad in the six-year

How Turkey's 'hasty' support for US missile strike could backfire

Turkey's rash decisions about Syria could make it appear fickle to both Russia and the United States.