The past year saw faint signs of a thaw between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, with indirect talks and back-channel diplomacy suggesting a tentative effort to address mutual security concerns, particularly regarding Kurdish forces in northern Syria. But these attempts, which did not result in a significant shift in … Read more
Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Bashar Assad were once friends, but the Turkish leader backed the rebellion when it erupted nearly 14 years ago — mainly because Turkey’s geopolitical rival Iran supported the Syrian regime. Turkey has been the key patron of Syria’s armed Islamist opposition groups. And as the war developed and the moderate … Read more
As the offensive unfolded others agreed with al-Jolani, who has seemingly now dropped his nom de guerre and is using his birth name Ahmed al-Sharaa. They noted how fragile the regime appeared. “The Syrian Arab Army is a hollowed-out shell, far weaker than its ostensible numbers and weapons would indicate,” said former U.S. diplomat Alberto … Read more
Ankara: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres held a phone call, discussing the latest developments in Syria, according to a statement from Erdogan’s office. During the phone conversation on Thursday, Erdogan highlighted Turkey’s commitment to stability in Syria, reiterating that Ankara’s primary objective is to prevent further instability and civilian casualties … Read more
The United States warned Turkey on Monday against hosting Hamas leadership, saying Washington does not believe leaders of a terrorist organization should be living comfortably. When asked about reports that some Hamas leaders had moved to Turkey from Qatar, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller did not confirm the reports but said he was … Read more
Senior members of Hamas’s leadership outside of Gaza have been in Turkey in recent days, Israeli state broadcaster KAN reported on Sunday. This latest report comes after an American source confirmed to the news outlet earlier this month that Qatar had agreed to remove Hamas from its territory. It is unclear whether the two … Read more
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends the BRICS Business Forum in Moscow, Russia October 18, 2024. Alexander Zemlianichenko | Via Reuters Russia is rolling out the red carpet to its geopolitical allies as it hosts the latest BRICS summit on Tuesday, pushing its agenda to create a “new world order” that challenges the West. The group … Read more
In the wake of the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, Iran’s Foreign Minister traveled to Turkey for high-level meetings. He was already scheduled to go to Turkey as part of a regional tour he is conducting. He has been in Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq, Oman, Jordan, and Egypt, shoring up Iran’s … Read more
Scholz is visiting Turkey in the wake of an EU summit focused on migration and amid an emotional debate on harsher asylum rules and increased deportations at home. Erdoğan, during a meeting which marks the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Germany and Turkey, expressed a desire to move past prior difficulties in defense cooperation. … Read more
Erdoğan said more than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed since the Oct. 7 invasion of Israel last year and its ensuing campaign in the Gaza Strip, while more than 17,000 children have been the targets of Israeli bullets and bombs. “I call out the United Nations Security Council, what are you waiting for to prevent … Read more
