Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)
2015 Turkey Special Weapons News
December
- Turkey determined to continue anti-PKK raids: Erdogan Press TV 31 Dec 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed that Ankara will press ahead with the anti-Kurdish military campaign, which he said, left more than 3,000 militants of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) dead this year.
- Iraqi PM Urges Turkey to Withdraw Troops VOA 31 Dec 2015 -- Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has reiterated that Turkish military forces must withdraw immediately from Iraqi territory.
- Sparring Continues Over Turkish Troops in Northern Iraq VOA 31 Dec 2015 -- The diplomatic dispute over Turkey's deployment of soldiers and tanks to Iraq continues to deepen, with Baghdad accusing Ankara of reneging on an agreement to withdraw its forces and threatening military action.
- Turkey rejects Iraq's warning against Ankara troop deployment Press TV 31 Dec 2015 -- Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has dismissed Baghdad's warning of military action to defend Iraqi sovereignty if Ankara does not pull its troops out of northern Iraq.
- Turkey detains 2 Daesh suspects for plotting attacks in Ankara Press TV 30 Dec 2015 -- Turkish police have arrested two suspected members of Daesh Takfiri terrorist group, who were allegedly planning bomb attacks in the capital, Ankara, on New Year's Eve.
- Turkey president blasts call for Kurdish autonomy as 'treason' Press TV 29 Dec 2015 -- Turkey's president has lashed out at a Kurdish politician for calling for the creation of a Kurdish entity inside the country.
- Turkey's Erdogan Meets Saudi King in Riyadh VOA 29 Dec 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met in Saudi Arabia Tuesday with King Salman for talks that were expected to focus on Ankara's support of Riyadh's military as well as Syria's civil war.
- Erdogan: Liberating Syria's City of Jarabulus From Daesh a Priority Sputnik 29 Dec 2015 -- According to the Turkish President, coalition forces have set the liberation of Syrian Jarabulus as a priority task.
- Moscow extends sanctions against Turkey Press TV 28 Dec 2015 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree extending Moscow's economic sanctions against Turkey, Kremlin officials say.
- As Crackdown Continues, Turkey Investigates Kurdish Party Leader VOA 28 Dec 2015 -- Turkish prosecutors have launched an investigation into Selahattin Demirtas, the leader of Turkey's main pro-Kurdish party. The move comes as security forces continue a crackdown across the predominantly Kurdish southeast against supporters of the banned Kurdistan Workers Party, the PKK.
- Number of militants fleeing Syria for Turkey has doubled: Army Press TV 27 Dec 2015 -- The number of foreign-backed terrorists withdrawing from Syria toward the Turkish border has doubled in the wake of the recent achievements made by Syrian forces.
- There and Back Again: Turkish Forces Pulling Out of Iraq Sputnik 27 Dec 2015 -- However, about 100 Turkish servicemen still remain in the Ninevah province of Iraq, according to a local government official.
- Army forces kill 6 PKK militants in southeast Turkey Press TV 26 Dec 2015 -- At least six members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) have been killed after Turkish military forces launched separate operations against the militants in the country's restive southeastern province of Sirnak.
- Turkey seeks to revive military relations with Israel: Sources Press TV 26 Dec 2015 -- Turkey is looking to resume military cooperation with Israel, Turkish defense sources say, as talks continue between Ankara and Tel Aviv to restore bilateral ties after more than five years of a hiatus.
- Turkey's premier calls off meeting with HDP leader Press TV 26 Dec 2015 -- Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has called off a planned meeting with the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), accusing it of supporting violence in the country.
- Turkish Prime Minister Cancels Talks With Pro-Kurdish Opposition Party Sputnik 26 Dec 2015 -- Pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) leaders have shown that 'they lack the political maturity required to use politics as a means to solve problems' and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu cancelled a planned meeting HDP representatives, according to the statement of Davutoglu's office.
- Turkey says Iraq troop deployment to 'counter Daesh threats' Press TV 26 Dec 2015 -- Turkey has reacted to the Arab League's condemnation of Turkish troops' deployment in northern Iraq, claiming that the military presence in the war-torn Arab country is aimed at countering threats posed by the Takfiri Daesh terrorists in the region.
- Erdogan Refuses to Cooperate With Anti-Daesh Intelligence HQ Sputnik 26 Dec 2015 -- Turkey's government refused the invitation to join the center set up in Baghdad to exchange intelligence on terrorists that pose a threat to the region, the Turkish president said in an interview on Saturday.
- Turkish Soldier, Six PKK Militants Killed in Shootout in Turkey's Southeast Sputnik 25 Dec 2015 -- One Turkish soldier and six members of of the outlawed in Turkey Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) were killed and two more Turkish soldiers were injured during operation against PKK in town of Cizre in the Turkish Sirnak province.
- Turkey PM accuses pro-Kurdish party leader of 'treason' Press TV 24 Dec 2015 -- Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has lashed out at the leader of the country's main pro-Kurdish party for his criticism of Ankara's downing of a Russian jet.
- Clashes displace 100,000 people in SE Turkey: Report Press TV 24 Dec 2015 -- A new report says tens of thousands have been displaced as a result of recent clashes between the Turkish military and PKK militants in Turkey's volatile southeast.
- Russia to Notify Turkey of Withdrawal From Legal Assistance Treaty - Decree Sputnik 24 Dec 2015 -- Ankara must be informed of Moscow's intention 'not to be party to the agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Turkey on mutual legal assistance in civil, commercial and criminal cases, signed in Ankara on December 15, 1997,' according to a decree.
- Arab League censures Turkey for military build-up in Iraq Press TV 24 Dec 2015 -- The Arab League has denounced the recent deployment of Turkish troops to northern Iraq as a violation of international law as tensions escalate between Baghdad and Ankara.
- Iraq FM Vows All Legal Measures If Turkey Refuses to Withdraw Troops Sputnik 24 Dec 2015 -- Iraq Foreign Minister Ibrahim Jaafari said that he will use all legal means to respond to Turkish troops in Iraq.
- Arab League Chief Calls Turkish Military in Iraq Violation of Int'l Law Sputnik 24 Dec 2015 -- Secretary-General of the Arab League Nabil Elaraby said that the presence of Turkish troops deep in the Iraqi territory is a blatant violation of the international law and Iraq's sovereignty.
- Good Riddance: Germany Withdraws Patriot Missiles From Turkey Sputnik 23 Dec 2015 -- Germany has moved its Patriot air-defense systems out of Turkey as its military mission in the country expires next month.
- 200,000 Kurds Fleeing Turkey Amid Increased Violence – German Media Sputnik 23 Dec 2015 -- Europe may soon face a new wave of migrants. About 200,000 Kurds are fleeing from the southeastern parts of Turkey amid armed clashes in the region, German newspaper Deutsche Wirtschafts Nachrichten (DWN) reported.
- Turkey Sharpens Criticism of Russia's Airstrikes in Syria VOA 22 Dec 2015 -- Turkey has stepped up its criticism of Russia's airstrikes in Syria in the wake of deadly strikes in the northwest city of Idlib.
- HRW says civilian deaths in southeast Turkey alarming Press TV 22 Dec 2015 -- Human Rights Watch (HRW) has expressed concern about the rising civilian death toll as Turkey continues with its campaign against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in the southeast.
- New clashes in southeastern Turkey claim 15 lives Press TV 22 Dec 2015 -- Over a dozen people, including a Turkish soldier, have been killed in clashes in the volatile southeastern part of Turkey.
- Moscow Playing Kurdish Card Against Ankara? VOA 22 Dec 2015 -- The leader of Turkey's main pro-Kurdish party is due to arrive in Moscow on Thursday amid a deepening diplomatic crisis between Moscow and Ankara.
- US Notices 'Some Repositioning' of Turkish Forces in Northern Iraq Sputnik 22 Dec 2015 -- Turkey has repositioned some of its forces illegally deployed to the north of Iraq, Operation Inherent Resolve spokesperson Col. Steven Warren told reporters on Tuesday.
- Observer: Turkey's Interventionist Foreign Policy Counterproductive VOA 21 Dec 2015 -- As a staunch backer of Syrian rebels seeking to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad, Turkey recently dispatched tanks and soldiers to Iraq without Baghdad's permission, ostensibly to protect Turkish forces training Iraqis fighting Islamic State militants.
- Turkish Defense Industry Successfully Conducts Armed Drone Test Sputnik 21 Dec 2015 -- The Turkish defense industry has successfully conducted a test of an armed tactical drone amid the country's plan to launch a serial production of unmanned aerial vehicles with firepower, US media reported on Friday.
- Iraq Wants Turkish Troops Out Once and for All Sputnik 21 Dec 2015 -- Baghdad has welcomed Turkey's decision to start removing its troops from northern Iraq, but said it would press for a complete withdrawal of Turkish forces from its territory, Iranian media wrote on Sunday.
- Turkey Continues Crackdown on PKK in Southeastern Regions VOA 19 Dec 2015 -- A reported 10,000 Turkish troops and police are carrying out operations in Cizre and Silopi, two largely Kurdish areas in southeastern Turkey's Sirnak province. While the government says the campaign is targeting members of the outlawed PKK Kurdish militant group and its supporters, civilians in the regions, both under curfew, say they are suffering and living in fear.
- Inconvenient Truth: Leaked Report Proves Daesh Smuggling Oil to Turkey Sputnik 20 Dec 2015 -- A report compiled by an independent Norwegian oil and gas consulting firm verified earlier claims that Daesh, also known as ISIL/ISIS, smuggles most of its oil to Turkey, where it is then sold on the black market at reduced prices.
- Most of oil smuggled by Daesh goes to Turkey: Report Press TV 20 Dec 2015 -- A new report has revealed that most of the oil smuggled by Daesh Takfiri terrorist group from the areas under its control goes to Turkey, where it is sold off at low prices.
- Withdrawal of Turkish Troops From Northern Iraqi Province Underway Sputnik 19 Dec 2015 -- Turkey continues the process of its troops' withdrawal from the Iraqi province of Nineveh, the country's Foreign Ministry said Saturday.
- Obama to Erdogan: Withdraw Turkish troops from Iraq Press TV 19 Dec 2015 -- US President Barack Obama has called on his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to withdraw his country's troops out of Iraq and respect its integrity.
- Turkey says miscommunication caused Iraq troop deployment Press TV 19 Dec 2015 -- Turkish Foreign Ministry says 'miscommunication' with Iraq caused its recent troops deployment in the northern Nineveh province.
- Iraq urges UNSC resolution against Turkey troop deployment Press TV 19 Dec 2015 -- Iraq has asked the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to adopt a resolution, urging Turkey to end its "illegal incursion" and immediately withdraw its troops from the Arab country's soil.
- Israel, Turkey Reportedly Close to Normalizing Relations VOA 18 Dec 2015 -- Israel and Turkey have reportedly reached a preliminary agreement to end years of estrangement and begin restoring full diplomatic relations.
- 54 PKK militants killed in latest Turkish military operations: Source Press TV 18 Dec 2015 -- At least 54 members of the Kurdistan's Workers Party (PKK) have reportedly been killed in the latest wave of Turkish military operations against the militant group southeast of the country.
- NATO to Deploy Air Support to Turkey in a 'Face-Saving' Exercise Sputnik 17 Dec 2015 -- NATO is set to deploy air defense support to member-state Turkey in an effort to prevent a repetition of the shooting down of a Russian Sukhoi Su-24 fighter aircraft in November, creating diplomatic tension between Ankara and Moscow.
- Putin on S-400 Deployment in Syria: Let Turkish Aviation Fly Now Sputnik 17 Dec 2015 -- Turkey will not be able to violate the Syria airspace after Russia had deployed S-400 defense system in Hmeymim airabse, Russian president Vladimir Putin told journalists during the press-conference in Moscow.
- Turkey Has Plans to Station 1000s of Troops at New Military Base in Qatar Sputnik 17 Dec 2015 -- As Turkey faces international backlash over provocative actions, Ankara plans to expand its military footprint abroad.
- Turkey Says Attack Justifies Sending Troops into Iraq VOA 17 Dec 2015 -- Turkey is claiming vindication for sending troops and tanks into Iraq, following an attack on a Turkish base training Iraqis who are fighting Islamic State. The attack came days after intense pressure from Baghdad forced Ankara to pull out some reinforcements it sent to the camp following threats from IS militants.
- IS Attack Kills Iraqi Troops, Wounds Turkish Trainers RFE/RL 17 Dec 2015 -- Islamic State (IS) militants attacked a training camp in northern Iraq for fighters battling the extremist group, killing at least two Iraqi Sunni fighters and wounding four Turkish trainers, officials said December 16.
- Daesh Attack on Turkish Base in Iraq 'Proves' Necessity of Turkish Troops Sputnik 17 Dec 2015 -- Turkish military presence is needed in Iraq for 'security reasons', especially following a recent Islamic State (IS, or Daesh in Arabic) jihadist group's attack on a Turkish training camp located in the country, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Thursday.
- F-15 Eagles to Return from Incirlik EUCOM 16 Dec 2015 -- The Air Force F-15 Eagles and Strike Eagles deployed to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, are returning to RAF Lakenheath, UK, beginning Dec. 16.
- Turkish army kills 8 PKK militants in Cizre, Silvan Press TV 16 Dec 2015 -- The Turkish military says security forces have killed eight militants with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in an operation in the country's volatile southeast.
- Turkey to establish military base in Qatar Press TV 16 Dec 2015 -- Turkey's ambassador to Qatar says Ankara plans to set up a military base in Qatar, calling for the two countries to do more to confront "common enemies."
- Russia Expects Turkey to Behave in a Constructive Manner at Syria Talks Sputnik 16 Dec 2015 -- Russian Deputy Foreign Minister said that Russia adopts a constructive manner in its work within the framework of the Vienna-format talks on Syrian settlement and expects the other partners, including Turkey, to act in the same way.
- Daesh hits Bashiqa camp of Turkish forces, 4 soldiers injured Press TV 16 Dec 2015 -- Turkey's troops deployed in northern Iraq have come under a rocket attack carried out by the Daesh Takfiri terrorists on a camp near the city of Mosul.
- Iraq PM demands 'complete withdrawal' of Turkish forces Press TV 15 Dec 2015 -- Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has called for an immediate and 'complete withdrawal' of all Turkish forces from northern Iraq.
- Israel dismisses Turkey moves for normalization of ties: Report Press TV 14 Dec 2015 -- The Israeli regime has reportedly dismissed Turkey's moves for normalization of relations, saying Tel Aviv will not make any more concessions to return ties back to normal with "isolated Turks."
- Su-24 Incident Should Not Spoil Turkey-Russia Relations - Erdogan Sputnik 14 Dec 2015 -- Relations between Russia and Turkey should not suffer because of the incident involving the Russian Su-24, downed by a Turkish jet, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday.
- France Urges Ankara to Set 'Tighter Control' Along Turkey-Syria Border Sputnik 14 Dec 2015 -- Turkey should play a more central role in solving the Syrian crisis, in particular by tightening the border control to limit the movement of foreign fighters into the war-torn country, French Secretary of State for European Affairs Harlem Desir said.
- Turkey Looking to End Russian Gas Dependence VOA 14 Dec 2015 -- A Russian warship firing warning shots against a Turkish fishing boat Sunday was the latest sign bilateral tensions continue to grow. But a potentially more significant sign of a permanent change in relations is Ankara's effort to end its dependency on Russian natural gas. But such energy diversification carries economic and political challenges.
- Some Turkish troops leaving Iraq's Bashiqa camp: Source Press TV 14 Dec 2015 -- Some Turkish troops deployed in northern Iraq are leaving the Bashiqa camp, heading north to a yet unknown destination as part of a "new arrangement," a military source says.
- Iraq sovereignty, red line that must not be crossed: Foreign minister Press TV 14 Dec 2015 -- Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari has condemned the recent deployment of Turkish troops to northern Iraq, stressing that the sovereignty of Iraq is "a red line that must not be crossed."
- Ankara Sends Reinforcements to Its Military in Iraq, Decides to Stay Sputnik 14 Dec 2015 -- Turkey's prime minister said that Ankara had taken measures 'against attacks' on the Bashik camp in Iraq and said that the legitimacy of Turkish military presence there was 'not under discussion'.
- Turkey army bans staff from traveling to Russia Press TV 13 Dec 2015 -- The Turkish army has banned its staff from traveling to Russia for holidays, local media say, amid heightened tensions between the two countries.
- Russian MoD Summons Turkish Military Attache Over Incident in Aegean Sea Sputnik 13 Dec 2015 -- The Russian Defense Ministry has summoned a Turkish military attache in Moscow over an incident in the Aegean Sea, the ministry press service said Sunday.
- Russia warship fires warning shots at Turkish boat in Aegean Press TV 13 Dec 2015 -- Russia says one of its warships was forced to fire warning shots at a Turkish boat in the Aegean Sea to avoid a collision.
- Russian Frigate Uses Firearms to Prevent Collision With Turkish Vessel Sputnik 13 Dec 2015 -- The crew of the Russian "Smetlivy" destroyer was forced to use firearms on Sunday to prevent a collision with a Turkish seiner vessel in the northern part of the Aegean Sea, according to Russia's Ministry of Defense.
- Russia Considers Turkey's 'Invasion' in Northern Iraq Illegal Sputnik 13 Dec 2015 -- Moscow sees Turkey's deployment of troops into Iraq territory an "unjustifiable" and "illegal invasion" of a sovereign state.
- Iraq Appeals To UN To Demand Turkish Troop Withdrawal RFE/RL 12 Dec 2015 -- Iraq appeared to abandon an effort to negotiate with Turkey over several hundred troops stationed in northern Iraq and revived its demand for an immediate withdrawal in an appeal before the United Nations.
- Iraq Appeals to UNSC Demanding Immediate Withdrawal of Turkish Troops Sputnik 12 Dec 2015 -- Baghdad addressed the UN Security Council demanding an unconditional and immediate withdrawal of Turkish troops from the Iraqi territory to put an end to the 'aggressive act' and 'flagrant violation' of international legislation.
- Key Waterways Become Focus of Turkish, Russian Tensions VOA 11 Dec 2015 -- The escalating tensions between Moscow and Ankara over last month's downing of a Russian fighter by Turkish jets is threatening to resurrect an age-old rivalry over access to Turkey's Bosphorus and Dardanelles waterways.
- Turkey issues arrest warrant for dozens linked to Gulen Press TV 11 Dec 2015 -- Turkey has issued arrest warrants for top opposition figure Fethullah Gulen and tens of others accused of having alleged links to a terror group, in what is seen as a new attempt by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government to counter the influence of its ally-turned-foe.
- Turkey says to 'reorganize' troops in Iraq Press TV 11 Dec 2015 -- Turkey says it has decided to 'reorganize' its troops in a camp in northern Iraq after holding talks with officials in Baghdad, who strongly criticized Ankara for the deployment.
- Ankara Deployed Troops to Iraq to Protect Turkish Soldiers - Erdogan Sputnik 11 Dec 2015 -- The current presence of the Turkish troops in Iraq is necessary due to the lack of security guarantees for Turkish soldiers deployed earlier in the country to train Kurdish militia fighting the Islamic State, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday.
- White House Sends Ankara Two Warning Shots Over Daesh Oil Smuggling Sputnik 11 Dec 2015 -- Senior US government representatives on Wednesday and Thursday finally addressed the terrorist organization's smuggling of oil via Turkish territory.
- Syria's Assad blasts Turkey as 'only lifeline' of Daesh Press TV 11 Dec 2015 -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says Turkey serves as the "only lifeline" for Daesh terrorists, censuring Ankara for its engagement in illegal oil transactions with the Takfiri group.
- Counter Exposure: US Shifts Blame for Oil Smuggling From Turkey to Assad Sputnik 11 Dec 2015 -- In the aftermath of Russia's exposure of the illegal oil trade between Daesh (ISIL/ISIS) and Turkey, the US has decided to come up with its own 'revelation': the US Treasury admits that the jihadist group is profiting from oil exports to the tune of as much as $40 mln per month, but claims the terrorist group is selling it to President Assad.
- Erdogan: Troop pullout from Iraq 'out of question' Press TV 11 Dec 2015 -- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Turkish troops recently deployed to Iraq will not be leaving the Arab country for the time being.
- Turkey, Iraq Hold Talks on Turkish Troops Withdrawal From Iraq Sputnik 11 Dec 2015 -- Iraq's foreign minister held talks with high-ranking Turkish delegates, including Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Feridun Sinirlioglu and the head of the National Intelligence Organization, Hakan Fidan, according to the Iraqi Foreign Ministry.
- Russia attempts ethnic cleansing in Syria: Turkish PM People's Daily 10 Dec 2015 -- Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Wednesday accused Russia of attempting an 'ethnic cleansing' in northern Syria through its air strikes.
- Iraq urges Arab League emergency meeting on Turkey invasion Press TV 10 Dec 2015 -- Iraq's Foreign Ministry has requested an emergency meeting of top diplomats from the Arab League to adopt a united position vis-a-vis Turkey's illegal deployment of troops to northern Iraqi territories.
- Turkish PM defends troops presence in Iraq Press TV 10 Dec 2015 -- Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has defended the deployment of Turkish forces to northern Iraq, claiming that it was a 'measure' to fight against Takfiri Daesh militants.
- Turkey, Iraqi Kurdish Leaders Meet Amid Dispute Over Troops RFE/RL 10 Dec 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with the leader of Iraq's Kurdish region on December 9 in Ankara amid diplomatic efforts to resolve a dispute over Turkish troops in northern Iraq.
- Turkish Delegation Arrives in Baghdad to Discuss Troops Deployed in Iraq Sputnik 10 Dec 2015 -- A Turkish delegation has arrived in Baghdad to discuss the deployment of Turkish troops in Iraq, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said Thursday.
- Turkish President Rules Out Troops Withdrawal From Iraq Sputnik 10 Dec 2015 -- Turkey will withdraw troops from Iraq, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said firmly on Thursday.
- Turkish government files suit against Gulen Press TV 09 Dec 2015 -- The Turkish government has lodged a civil suit with a US court against a US-based opponent of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, alleging human rights abuses.
- Russia long knew about Turkey's complicity with Daesh: Lavrov Press TV 09 Dec 2015 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says Moscow has long known about Turkey's complicity with the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group, but did not raise the issue publicly.
- UN Takes No Action On Russian Call To Curb 'Reckless' Turkish Moves RFE/RL 09 Dec 2015 -- Russia denounced as 'reckless' Turkey's deployment of troops to northern Iraq, but the United Nations Security Council declined to take a stand on the dispute.
- Lavrov: Turkey Has Long Supported Daesh Oil Trade, Terrorists' Efforts Sputnik 09 Dec 2015 -- While Russia only recently revealed evidence of Turkey's involvement in terrorist oil smuggling, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow has long known about the issue, but until recently did not want to believe that Ankara was as deeply involved as it seems to be.
- Turkey's Open Border With Syria Provides 'Sustenance' to Daesh - US DOS Sputnik 09 Dec 2015 -- The open Turkish border with Syria needs to be sealed off because it enables the Islamic State, or Daesh, to thrive on the illicit trade of oil, foreign fighters and other supplies, US Department of State spokesperson John Kirby said on Wednesday.
- Lavrov Asks Why Turkey is Bombing US-Allied Kurds in Syria Sputnik 09 Dec 2015 -- It is necessary to understand why Turkey, being a member of the US-led coalition, is bombing Kurds in Syria, while the US sees them (Kurds) as potential allies, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Italian journalists in an interview.
- Turkey Urges All Citizens to Leave Iraq Immediately Sputnik 10 Dec 2015 -- Citing security risks, the Turkish government has warned any of its citizens traveling in Iraq – excluding Kurdish provinces – to leave at once.
- US State Dept. Does Not Support Turkey's Incursion Into Iraq Sputnik 09 Dec 2015 -- Baghdad and Ankara should find a proper resolution to the ongoing crisis with the deployment of Turkish troops in Iraq, a State Department official told Sputnik on Wednesday.
- NATO Chief Takes Note of Iraqi Concerns Over Turkish Troops Violation Sputnik 09 Dec 2015 -- NATO official said that Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg held a telephone conversation with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi in regard to Iraq's concerns over Turkish troops deployed on its soil.
- Beijing Calls on Ankara to Respect Iraqi Sovereignity Sputnik 09 Dec 2015 -- China urged Iraq and Turkey to further increase communication and coordination in order to resolve the conflict.
- Russia censures Turkey's troop deployment to Iraq as 'reckless' Press TV 09 Dec 2015 -- Russia's ambassador to the United Nations (UN) has slammed Turkey's controversial troop deployment to Iraq as 'reckless and inexplicable.'
- Russia Lashes Out at Turkey Over Troops in Iraq VOA 08 Dec 2015 -- Lingering tensions between Russia and Turkey over Ankara's shooting down of a Russian fighter jet along the Syrian-Turkish border last month were evident Tuesday as Moscow's U.N. envoy lashed out at Ankara over its recent troop deployment to northern Iraq.
- Turkey detains 18 alleged supporters of Erdogan opponent Press TV 08 Dec 2015 -- Police in Turkey have arrested 18 people, including senior police officers, accusing them of supporting a US-based opponent of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
- Turkey urges training so-called moderate militants in Syria Press TV 08 Dec 2015 -- Turkey has called for the swift implementation of its proposals concerning the ongoing crisis in Syria, among them training and equipping the so-called moderate militants operating against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
- Turkey suspends deploying forces to northern Iraq: Ankara Press TV 08 Dec 2015 -- Turkey says it has currently stopped the deployment of troops to northern Iraq, warning, however, that it will not withdraw those soldiers already stationed in the Arab country.
- Iraq Calls on NATO to Urge Turkey to Withdraw Troops From Country Sputnik 08 Dec 2015 -- Turkish military presence in Iraq is a violation of Iraq's sovereignty, and NATO should use its power, so that Turkey would immediately withdraw its troops from Iraqi territory, according to Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi's press service.
- Iraqi Kurd Leader to Meet Turkey's President VOA 08 Dec 2015 -- The leader of the semi autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan Region government is to visit Ankara on Wednesday. The Iraqi Kurds have developed close political and trade ties with Ankara and both share strained relations with Baghdad.
- Turkey - Joint Direct Attack Munitions (Corrected*) DSCA 07 Dec 2015 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Turkey for Joint Direct Attack Munitions and associated equipment, parts and logistical support for an estimated cost of $70 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on Dec 2, 2015. This certification was previously delivered to Congress on Oct 28, 2015 but it erroneously identified the principal contractor. The new certification corrects this discrepancy and makes no other changes.
- Turkey says has duty to protect troops in Iraq Press TV 07 Dec 2015 -- Turkey says it has a duty to protect those Turkish troops sent to the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, who it says were deployed upon Baghdad's request to "train and advise" Iraqi forces fighting the Takfiri Daesh terrorists.
- Iran Has 'Irrefutable Evidence' of Turkey-Daesh Cooperation Sputnik 07 Dec 2015 -- Iran's Expediency Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaie said earlier that Tehran was ready to provide Ankara with necessary information regarding Daesh oil trade with Turkey.
- Turkey Intends to Place Air Defense System on Syrian Border - Media Sputnik 07 Dec 2015 -- Ankara launched a new round of negotiations with the Franco-Italian concern Eurosam to install anti-missile systems on the border with Syria due to the worsening situation, a Turkish newspaper reported.
- Iraq's PM Abadi orders Air Force on alert as deadline to Turkey looms Press TV 07 Dec 2015 -- Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has issued an order for Air Force to be on alert as a deadline to Turkey to pull out its troops from the Arab country approaches.
- Turkey Refuses to Withdraw Troops From Iraq VOA 07 Dec 2015 -- Turkey is refusing to withdraw forces deployed to Iraq, despite Baghdad's call for Ankara to do so immediately. Ankara insists the deployment is to protect its troops who are training Iraqi Kurdish forces, but the dispute is stoking old and new regional tensions.
- Baghdad 'concerns' stops flow of Turkish troops into Iraq Press TV 06 Dec 2015 -- Turkey says it will halt further military interventions in northern Iraq for the time being following an ultimatum by Iraq.
- Iraqi Leader Demands Withdrawal of Turkish Troops Near Mosul RFE/RL 05 Dec 2015 -- Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi has condemned Turkey's movement of troops into northern Iraq near Mosul to train Iraqi forces fighting the Islamic State (IS) group, and demanded their immediate withdrawal.
- Russia accuses Erdogan's family of profiteering from oil smuggling People's Daily 03 Dec 2015 -- The Russian Defense Ministry on Wednesday accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his family of profiting from illegal shipments of oil by the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group in Syria.
- Turkey, Russia halt talks on Turkish Stream Press TV 03 Dec 2015 -- Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Thursday that all negotiations over the Turkish Stream pipeline have been suspended.
- Turkey projects blame for Daesh oil smuggling onto Russia Press TV 03 Dec 2015 -- Turkey has resorted to projection over the smuggling of oil from Daesh-held territories in Iraq, claiming that Russia, which recently provided satellite images to further disclose the issue, was behind the illegal trade.
- Turkey will regret shooting down Russian plane: Putin Press TV 03 Dec 2015 -- Russia's President Vladimir Putin says Turkey will repent 'more than once' the downing of a Russian fighter jet near the Syrian-Turkish border, stating that Moscow will not turn a blind eye to Ankara's 'aiding of terrorists.'
- Erdogan: Ankara Has Proof Of Russian Involvement In IS Oil Trade RFE/RL 03 Dec 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Ankara has proof that Russia was involved in the illegal oil trade with the Islamic State (IS) extremist group in Syria.
- Turkey, Russia Hold First High-Level Talks Since Plane Downing VOA 03 Dec 2015 -- A Turkish official says the foreign ministers of Turkey and Russia met Thursday on the sidelines of a Europe security meeting, their first high-level bilateral talks since Turkey downed a Russian fighter jet late last month.
- Putin Says Turkey Will Regret Shooting Down Russian Warplane RFE/RL 03 Dec 2015 -- President Vladimir Putin has used an annual speech to Russian officials to lash out against the Turkish government, saying it facilitates terrorism and calling the recent shooting down by Turkey of a Russian warplane along the Turkey-Syria border a 'betrayal.'
- Putin Threatens Turkey in Speech to Nation VOA 03 Dec 2015 -- Russia's President Vladimir Putin has threatened Turkey with unspecified actions in addition to sanctions it already put in place this week for the Turkish military's shooting down a Russian bomber.
- Routes of illegal shipments of petroleum products in Turkey. Data Defense Ministry Russia MoD 02 Dec 2015
- Speech of the Russian Deputy Defence Minister Anatoly Antonov during the briefing "Russian Federation Armed Forces fighting against international terrorist. New data" Russia MoD 02 Dec 201
- US, Turkey Uniting in IS Fight Despite Lingering Doubts VOA 02 Dec 2015 -- Allegations that Ankara has been supporting Islamic State (IS) activities are finding little traction among Western governments that need Turkey's help in the fight against IS, some analysts say.
- NATO Boosting Turkey's Air Defenses VOA 02 Dec 2015 -- NATO says it is bolstering Turkey's air defenses in the wake of last month's shootdown of a Russian plane by Turkish jets. The announcement was made as Russia and Turkey increased their military buildup on the Turkish-Syrian border, fueling fears of a new confrontation.
- Russia says has evidence of Turkey-Daesh oil trade Press TV 02 Dec 2015 -- Russia says it is in possession of evidence that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his family are involved in the illegal smuggling of oil from territories held by Daesh Takfiri terrorists in Syria and Iraq.
- Ties with Turkey no longer business as usual: Russia FM Press TV 02 Dec 2015 -- Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has rejected the possibility of normalizing relations with Ankara after Turkey downed a Russian warplane inside Syria.
- Erdogan Rejects Russian Charges Of Buying Oil From Islamic State RFE/RL 02 Dec 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused Russia of slander for its allegations that Turkey and Erdogan's family are buying oil from Islamic State (IS) militants.
- Wishful Thinking: New Turkish EW System Hardly a Threat to S-400 Sputnik 02 Dec 2015 -- Turkey deployed its newest electronic warfare (EW) system near the border with Syria, according to the Turkish daily Milliyet.
- Russia Reveals How Turkey and Daesh Make 'Bloody' Oil Business Sputnik 02 Dec 2015 -- The Russian Defense Ministry during the briefing in Moscow on Wednesday has provided satellite images that show Daesh illegal oil smuggling through the Turkish-Syrian border. The ministry has also presented data on the infrastructure of the illegal oil trade.
- Turkey Should Seal Border With Syria to Stop ISIL Oil Smuggling - Kerry Sputnik 02 Dec 2015 -- Ankara needs to seal the border with Syria, John Kerry said.
- Erdogan Says Disappointed With Russian Reaction Over Su-24 Downing Sputnik 02 Dec 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday he is disappointed with Moscow's reaction to the recent downing of a Russian Su-24 aircraft by Turkey.
- Russia to Provide Evidence of Turkish Involvement in Daesh Oil Trade Sputnik 02 Dec 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his family members are directly involved in illegal oil deliveries from Daesh oil fields in Syria, according to Russia's Defense Ministry.
- Main Illegal Oil Transportation Routes Located on Turkey-Syria Border Sputnik 02 Dec 2015 -- Russian Defense Ministry has presented photos of oil delivery convoys at Syria-Turkey border, the head of the Russian General Staff's operative command said.
- Russia Presents 'Evidence' of Turkey Trading IS Oil VOA 02 Dec 2015 -- Russian Defense Ministry officials on Wednesday presented what they said was proof of Turkish involvement in illegal oil trade with the Islamic State group (IS), accusing top Turkish officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and members of his family, of complicity.
- Russian PM signs decree on economic sanctions against Turkey IRNA 01 Dec 2015 -- Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree on the implementation of special economic measures against Turkey, the press service of the Russian government said Tuesday.
- NATO Wants to Beef Up Security Along Turkish Borders VOA 01 Dec 2015 -- NATO foreign ministers are looking at ways to beef up security along Turkey's border a week after Ankara shot down a Russian fighter jet along the Syrian border.
- Russia Issues Sanctions Against Turkey Over Downed Plane RFE/RL 01 Dec 2015 -- Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has approved a list of sanctions against Turkey in retaliation for Ankara's shooting down of a Russian warplane.
- NATO says to continue to 'augment' Turkey air defenses Press TV 01 Dec 2015 -- NATO says it is mulling the augmentation of Turkey's air defenses, amid a rift between Moscow and Ankara over the downing of a Russian plane by the Turkish military.
- Turkey Shoots down Russian Plane to Protect Oil Trade with IS: Putin People's Daily 01 Dec 2015 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin is accusing Turkey of shooting down a Russian warplane in order to protect Turkish profiteering from illegal imports of oil produced by Islamic State rebels in Syria.
- Obama: 'I want to be very clear: Turkey is a NATO ally.' Press TV 01 Dec 2015 -- US President Barack Obama says everyone should know that Turkey is a member of the NATO military alliance, after Ankara shot down a Russian jet in Syria.
- Turkey wants Russia military contact channels 're-opened' Press TV 01 Dec 2015 -- Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has called for the opening of military communication channels between Ankara and Moscow aimed at preventing incidents such as Turkey's recent downing of a Russian jet.
- Russia widens sanctions against Turkey Press TV 01 Dec 2015 -- Russia is expanding its sanctions on Turkey, restricting imports of Turkish fruit and vegetables in response to the downing of its bomber, a top government official says.
- Erdogan 'to resign' if Russia's Daesh oil trade claims proven Press TV 01 Dec 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he is prepared to step down if accusations by Russia that Ankara has traded oil with the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group are proved right.
- Turkey Curries NATO Favor by Opening Airspace to French Jets Sputnik 01 Dec 2015 -- The decision by the Turkish government to allow French aircraft carrying out airstrikes on Daesh access to its airspace is intended to shore up NATO's relationship with Turkey and diminish the possibility of French cooperation with Russia, lawyer Ali Riza Aydin told Sputnik.
- Obama Urges Turkey, Russia to Focus on 'Common Enemy' VOA 01 Dec 2015 -- A week after Turkey shot down a Russian fighter jet, U.S. President Barack Obama is calling for a de-escalation of tensions between the two countries and a unified front on the Syrian conflict.
- Moscow's Allegations Against Ankara Ratchet Up Tensions VOA 01 Dec 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has challenged his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to prove allegations that Turkey is facilitating oil smuggling by the Islamic State group. The challenge comes as bilateral tensions continue to escalate following Turkey's downing of a Russian jet last week.
November
- Putin: Turkey Shot Down Russian Jet To Protect Islamic State Oil RFE/RL 30 Nov 2015 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Turkey of shooting down a Russian warplane in order to protect the Islamic State's lucrative oil trade, the latest in a series of inflammatory statements made by Moscow against Ankara.
- Concerns Grow About Turkey-EU Agreement VOA 30 Nov 2015 -- Human rights groups and opposition parties in Turkey are expressing concern over a multi-billion-euro deal reached Sunday between Ankara and the European Union to stem migrant flows.
- Turkey-Russia Spat Fuels Fears of Syrian Conflict Spiraling Out of Control VOA 30 Nov 2015 -- U.S. diplomats and military officials are urging Russia and Turkey to tone down their rhetoric, worried the growing dispute over last week’s downing of a Russian fighter plane near the Turkish border with Syria could further enflame an already embattled region.
- NATO Works to Bolster Turkey's 'Assurance Measures' Sputnik 30 Nov 2015 -- NATO is working on further assurance measures to support Turkey, the NATO ally who is on the frontline of a volatile region bordering Iraq and Syria, according to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
- NATO Secretary General discusses key security challenges with Turkish Prime Minister NATO 30 Nov 2015 -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu met on Monday (30 November 2015) to discuss a wide range of pressing international issues, including the crisis in Syria and last week's incident which led to the downing of Russian Air Force aircraft.
- Turkey says won't apologize to Russia over jet downing Press TV 30 Nov 2015 -- Ankara has ruled out offering an apology to Moscow over Turkey's downing of a Russian jet near the Syrian border, repeating its claim that the move had been defensive in nature.
- Turkey ceases violation of Greek airspace Press TV 30 Nov 2015 -- Turkish warplanes have stopped their frequent violations of the Greek airspace in the wake of downing a Russian fighter jet less than a week ago, Greek officials say.
- Russia-Turkey Diplomatic Row Continues Over Downed Russian Plane RFE/RL 30 Nov 2015 -- The diplomatic dispute continued on November 30 between Russia and Turkey over the downing of a Russian warplane by a Turkish fighter jet, with both sides entrenched in their positions.
- Lawyers Appeal Turkish Court Ruling Against Journalists RFE/RL 30 Nov 2015 -- Lawyers for a Turkish opposition newspaper have appealed a court ruling to detain two journalists on spying charges over a report that suggested Ankara had shipped weapons bound for rebels in Syria.
- Putin: Russia Has Evidence Su-24 Shot Down to Protect Daesh Oil Deliveries Sputnik 30 Nov 2015 -- Discussing the matter with world leaders during the Paris climate talks, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow has evidence that the Su-24 was shot down by Turkey to protect oil deliveries of the ISIL terrorist group, also known as Daesh, and that oil from IS-controlled fields is being exported to Turkey on an industrial scale.
- Turkish PM 'Understands' Russia's Reaction Over Su-24 Pilot Death Sputnik 30 Nov 2015 -- Ahmet Davutoglu said Monday he understands Russians' feelings over the death of the pilot shot down by Turkey over Syrian airspace.
- Erdogan Shot Down By Army Chief for Commenting on Downed Russian Bomber Sputnik 30 Nov 2015 -- Reports are emerging that the Turkish president is now at odds with his army's joint chief of staff after remarking that Ankara did not know that the warplane was Russian when targeting it; "had the politicians kept quiet, we could have resolved the problem very fast," the Turkish media quotes an informed military source as saying.
- Obama Urges Putin to Reduce Tensions With Turkey VOA 30 Nov 2015 -- President Barack Obama voiced regret Monday to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the Turkish shootdown of a Russian jet fighter last week, and he urged the Kremlin leader to reduce tensions with Turkey over the incident.
- US: Downed Russian Jet Violated Turkish Airspace VOA 30 Nov 2015 -- The United States has evidence from its own sources and from Turkey that the Russian jet shot down on the Turkey/Syria border last week violated Turkish airspace, a U.S. official said Monday.
- Turkey, EU Agree On A Deal To Stem Migrant Crisis RFE/RL 29 Nov 2015 -- Turkey and the European Union have agreed on a deal to stem the flow of migrants towards Europe.
- Turkey arms supplies to Syria militants increased: Syrian army Press TV 29 Nov 2015 -- Syria's military says Ankara has recently increased its supplies of weapons, ammunition and equipment to militant groups fighting against the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
- Russia has right to military response to Turkey's 'criminal act': Duma chairman People's Daily 28 Nov 2015 -- The shootdown of a Russian warplane by Turkish fighters was 'a criminal act' committed by Ankara, and Russia has the right to a military response, a top Russian official said here Friday.
- Turkish president 'sad' about Russia plane downing Press TV 28 Nov 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed "sadness" over a recent move by Turkey's military to shoot down a Russian fighter jet near the Syrian border.
- Russia Imposes Economic Restrictions Against Turkey After Downing of Su-24 Sputnik 28 Nov 2015 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Saturday to boost national security and introduce economic measures against Turkey, the Kremlin press service said.
- Iranian General Soleimani Supervised Operation to Save Russian Su-24 Pilot Sputnik 28 Nov 2015 -- The pilot of the downed Russian Su-24 bomber was saved in a joint rescue operation supervised by the commander of Iran's elite Quds Force of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution, Major General Qasem Soleimani.
- Erdogan 'Disappointed' Over Attack on Russian Su-24 Bomber Sputnik 28 Nov 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday he was greatly disappointed over the downing of a Russian Su-24 plane and expressed hope that this would not happen again in the future.
- US Pressing Turkey to Seal Border With Syria to Weaken Islamic State Sputnik 28 Nov 2015 -- Washington is asking Turkey to seal the border with Syria with additional troops in order to cut off key transit routes of the Islamic State militant group, The Wall Street Journal reports.
- Russia's Putin Orders Sanctions Against Turkey VOA 28 Nov 2015 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin called Saturday for economic sanctions against Turkey, four days after its air force shot down a Russian fighter jet near the Turkey-Syria border.
- Iran General supervised operation to save Russian Su-24 pilot IRNA 28 Nov 2015 -- The pilot of the downed Russian Su-24 bomber was rescued in a joint operation supervised by the commander of Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Qods Force Major General Qassem Soleimani.
- Turkey arms supplies to Syria militants increased: Syrian army Press TV 28 Nov 2015 -- Syria's military says Ankara has recently increased its supplies of weapons, ammunition and equipment to militant groups fighting against the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
- US says Russia did not inform it of downed jet plan Press TV 28 Nov 2015 -- American officials have denied that the Russian military had given the details of its downed jet's flight plan to the Pentagon before the aircraft was shot down by Turkey inside Syrian territory.
- Syrian Army Fired Upon by Mortars From Turkish Territory - Spokesman Sputnik 28 Nov 2015 -- Turkey fired a number of mortar bombs toward Syrian army positions, the Syrian army spokesman said Saturday.
- Putin Orders Sanctions Against Turkey RFE/RL 28 Nov 2015 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered economic sanctions against Turkey over the shooting down of a Russian military jet near the Syrian border on November 24.
- Russia Sanctions Turkey as Syria Coalition Efforts Fizzle VOA 27 Nov 2015 -- Russia is preparing sanctions against Turkey and stepping up military strikes over the downing of a Russian bomber along the Syrian border.
- EU says charges against Turkey journalists 'worrying' Press TV 27 Nov 2015 -- The European Union (EU) has expressed concern over the arrest of two Turkish journalists on "espionage" charges after reports by the pair blew the lid off Ankara's arms delivery to the Takfiri terror groups operating in neighboring Syria.
- Erdogan warns Russia not to 'play with fire' Press TV 27 Nov 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned Russia not to "play with fire" amid ongoing tensions between the two countries over Ankara's recent downing of a Russian military aircraft over Syrian skies.
- Turkish President Says Putin's Remarks 'Unacceptable' RFE/RL 27 Nov 2015 -- Turkey's president has said Russian President Vladimir Putin's comments after he met in Moscow with French President Francois Hollande were 'unacceptable.'
- Turkish Pilots Informed Air Force Commander Before Downing Russian Su-24 Sputnik 27 Nov 2015 -- On Tuesday, a Russian Su-24 jet crashed in Syria. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the plane was downed by an air-to-air missile launched by a Turkish F-16 jet over Syrian territory, falling 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) from the Turkish border.
- Turkey, Russia Continue War of Words VOA 27 Nov 2015 -- The war of words between Russia and Turkey over the downing of a Russian warplane continued Friday, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warning Moscow not to 'play with fire.'
- Erdogan Says Turkey Will Not Apologize for Downing Russian Su-24 Sputnik 26 Nov 2015 -- Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Ankara will not apologise to Russia for shooting down a Su-24 bomber jet.
- Putin on Su-24 Downing: Ally Delivered Treacherous Stab in the Back Sputnik 26 Nov 2015 -- Russia's President Vladimir Putin called the downing of Su-24 Fencer bomber an inexplicable and treacherous stab in the back.
- Putin: US Knew Flight Path of Russian Jet Downed by Turkey VOA 26 Nov 2015 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin says the United States knew the flight path of a Russian jet, shot down by Turkey last Tuesday, and should have informed Turkey, its coalition ally.
- Turkey Releases Audio Of Apparent Warning To Russian Jet RFE/RL 26 Nov 2015 -- The Turkish military has released what it says is an audio recording of an apparent warning issued to a Russian jet before it was shot down near the Syrian border.
- Erdogan: No Apology for Downing of Russian Fighter Jet VOA 26 Nov 2015 -- Tensions remained heated between Ankara and Moscow Thursday following Turkey's shooting down of a Russian warplane near the Turkey-Syria border earlier in the week.
- Hollande Urges Russia to Join Forces to Defeat Islamic State VOA 26 Nov 2015 -- French President Francois Hollande urged Russia to join world powers in creating a grand coalition to defeat the Islamic State militants who not only attacked Paris two weeks ago but control large areas of Iraq and Syria.
- Putin Says Russia Awaiting Apology From Turkey RFE/RL 26 Nov 2015 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he thinks Turkey's leadership is 'deliberately' pushing bilateral relations to a dead end.
- New govt. after presidential system: Turkish PM Press TV 25 Nov 2015 -- Turkey's prime minister says his government plans to adopt a new constitution, emphasizing that the newly established administration is in favor of a presidential system.
- Turkey does not want escalation with Russia after jet downing: Erdogan Press TV 25 Nov 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Ankara does not want any escalation with Moscow following Turkey's recent downing of a Russian fighter jet inside Syria.
- Russian jet entered Turkish airspace for only 'seconds': US official Press TV 25 Nov 2015 -- The United States believes the Russian warplane that was shot down on Tuesday by Turkey near the border with Syria entered Turkish airspace for only several "seconds."
- Turkish General Staff Says Shared Data on Su-24 Incident With Russia Sputnik 25 Nov 2015 -- The Turkish General Staff said Wednesday it had shared data on circumstances surrounding the downing of a Russian warplane with Russian military attache in Ankara and expressed readiness for further information exchange.
- Turkish Prime Minister: I Gave Order to Shoot Down Russia's Plane Myself Sputnik 25 Nov 2015 -- As details continue to emerge about the downing of a Russian bomber along the Turkey-Syria border on Tuesday, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has admitted to personally giving the order to fire on the aircraft, Canadian news outlet ThinkPol reported.
- Turkey Reportedly Sends Another 20 Tanks to Syrian Border Sputnik 25 Nov 2015 -- The Anadolu news agency reports that the Turkish authorities have sent tanks to its border with Syria.
- Russian Su-24M received no warnings from Turkish jets: Surviving pilot Press TV 26 Nov 2015 -- The sole survivor of the downed Russian Su-24M Fencer jet says the Turkish jets did not issue any visual or radio warnings before shooting down the warplane.
- Mirror Images: Are Putin And Erdogan Too Much Alike To Compromise? RFE/RL 25 Nov 2015
- Russia plane downing planned provocation: Lavrov Press TV 25 Nov 2015 -- Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has described the downing of a Russian warplane by the Turkish military as a "planned provocation," saying terrorist groups operating against the Syrian government are openly using the Turkish territory.
- Turkish-Russian Tensions Put Central Asia In A Tough Spot RFE/RL 25 Nov 2015 -- Turkey's downing of a Russian warplane on November 24 has put most of the Central Asian states in an extremely awkward position. No one in Central Asia wants trouble with Russia, the former colonial master, but at the same time the Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Turkmen, and Uzbeks are Turkic peoples and in the nearly 25 years since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ankara has played on cultural and linguistic affinities to successfully develop relations with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
- Lavrov: Turkey Downing Jet 'Planned Provocation,' but Not Going to War VOA 25 Nov 2015 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday that Turkey's downing of a Russian warplane 'looks like a planned provocation,' but that Russia is not going to war with Turkey.
- Turkey Braces for Economic Repercussions After Downing of Russian Jet VOA 25 Nov 2015 -- The news that a Turkish fighter jet downed a Russian plane Tuesday could signal a further slump in Turkey's already sluggish economy. The country is trying to balance its two-pronged war with Kurdish militants and Islamic State fighters in Syria with rapidly increasing tensions with Russia, the country's No. 2 trading partner.
- Russia confirms rescue of 2nd Su-24 pilot, deployment of air defense systems in Syria People's Daily 25 Nov 2015 -- Russia on Wednesday confirmed the rescue of the second pilot of the downed Russian Su-24 warplane, while air defense missile systems would be deployed in Syria.
- Obama, Erdogan Call For 'De-Escalation' After Downing Of Russian Jet RFE/RL 25 Nov 2015 -- U.S. President Barack Obama and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have agreed on the need to reduce tensions after Turkish fighter jets shot down a Russian warplane that Ankara says had violated the country's airspace, the two leaders' offices said.
- NATO Backs Turkey But Seeks to Lower Tensions With Russia VOA 24 Nov 2015 -- NATO says it stands with Turkey following an emergency meeting in Brussels of its 28 ambassadors requested by Ankara to discuss the downing a Russian warplane Tuesday by Turkish jets .
- Statement by the NATO Secretary General after the extraordinary NAC meeting NATO 24 Nov 2015 -- The North Atlantic Council has just held a meeting, an extraordinary meeting. And we have been updated by the Turkish Ambassador on the recent events. I have also spoken to Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.
- NATO Secretary General statement following his meeting with President Gjorge Ivanov of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia NATO 24 Nov 2015 -- I just had an excellent meeting with President Ivanov where we discussed Skopje's path toward NATO membership and political developments in the country.
- Department of Defense Press Briefing by Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook in the Pentagon Briefing Room DoD 24 Nov 2015 -- Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook
- Obama supports Turkey after it shot down Russian jet Press TV 24 Nov 2015 -- President Barack Obama has expressed US support for Turkey after it shot down a Russian warplane near Syria-Turkey border, saying Ankara has the right to defend its airspace.
- Russian FM calls off forthcoming visit to Turkey Press TV 24 Nov 2015 -- The Russian foreign minister has canceled his forthcoming visit to Turkey planned for November 25 in the wake of Ankara's downing of a Russian fighter jet near the Syrian border.
- Turkish Jets Down Russian Warplane; Moscow Denies Plane Violated Turkish Airspace RFE/RL 24 Nov 2015 -- Turkish fighter jets shot down a Russian warplane, saying it had violated the country's airspace, but Moscow said the aircraft had never strayed from Syrian territory and President Vladimir Putin called it 'a stab in the back.'
- Ban concerned over downing of Russian plane by Turkish Air Force, urges measures to lower tensions UN News 24 Nov 2015 -- The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is seriously concerned over the downing of a Russian military jet by the Turkish Air Force earlier today, and has urged all relevant parties to take urgent measures with a view to de-escalating tensions, according to his spokesperson.
- Obama, Turkey's Erdogan Confer on Downing of Russian Warplane VOA 24 Nov 2015 -- Hours after the Turkish shootdown of a Russian warplane along the Syria-Turkey border, U.S. President Barack Obama and Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed on the need to de-escalate tensions and prevent further incidents.
- Turkey Defends Decision To Shoot Down Russian Jet; Putin Calls It 'Stab In The Back' RFE/RL 24 Nov 2015 -- Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has defended Turkey's shooting down of a Russian fighter jet at the border with Syria, saying Ankara has the right 'to take all kinds of measures' against border violations according to international law.
- Putin Accuses Turkey of 'Stabbing' Russia 'in the Back' After Fighter Downed VOA 24 Nov 2015 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Turkey of 'stabbing' Russia 'in the back' and supporting terrorism after Turkish F-16s shot down a Russian Su-24 fighter jet on border with Syria.
- HRW: Turkey Closing Border for Syrian Refugees VOA 23 Nov 2015 -- Turkey has all but closed its borders to Syrian refugees, according to a report by U.S.-based Human Rights Watch. The group accuses Ankara of pushing refugees into the arms of smugglers as Russia intensifies its bombing campaign in Syria.
- US, Turkey Poised for Joint Anti-ISIS Operation, Despite Differences VOA 20 Nov 2015 -- Turkey and the United States have confirmed that their forces are poised to launch a major military operation to close a 98-kilometer strip of the Turkey-Syria border used by Islamic State.
- Turkey summons Russia envoy over Syria bombing 'very close' to border Press TV 20 Nov 2015 -- Turkey has summoned the Russian ambassador after Moscow's fighter jets allegedly carried out a heavy bombing raid inside Syrian territory 'very close' to the Turkish border.
- Turkish Prime Minister Accuses Russia of Striking Syrian Turkmen Settlement Sputnik 20 Nov 2015 -- Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu accused Russia on Friday of launching airstrikes on a Syrian Turkmen settlement in northern Syria, and called on Moscow to concentrate on destroying the Islamic State militant group.
- Turkey Set to Develop Its Own Missile Defense Shield Sputnik 18 Nov 2015 -- Turkey has officially abandoned its plans to purchase foreign-made parts for its missile defense shield for $3.4 billion and decided to develop its own project.
- Turkey to Take 'All Necessary Measures' to Protect Borders With Syria Sputnik 18 Nov 2015 -- Turkey will take all necessary steps to ensure national security and the protection of its borders from the terrorist threat coming from the territory of Syria, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Wednesday.
- 13 Kurdish militants killed in air strikes: Turkish army Press TV 16 Nov 2015 -- The Turkish army says over a dozen Kurdish militants have been killed in air strikes against the militants strongholds in the country's southeast close to the Iraqi border.
- Turkey kills missile system deal with China manufacturer Press TV 15 Nov 2015 -- Turkey has rescinded a contract with a state-owned Chinese manufacturer that would have seen the company build Ankara its first long-range missile defense system.
- Three soldiers, 11 militants killed in Turkey clashes Press TV 13 Nov 2015 -- Over a dozen people have been killed in clashes between Turkish security forces and militants in the predominantly Kurdish-populated regions of the country.
- Erdogan Makes 'Friendly Warning' to Russia Amid Military Operation in Syria Sputnik 12 Nov 2015 -- The victory of the pro-presidential party in the parliamentary elections in Turkey inspired Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan to make sharp statements against Russia, the German newspaper Der Spiegel wrote.
- TURKEY 2015 REPORT European Commission 10 Nov 2015 -- "As regards the political criteria, the pace of reforms slowed down, also due to protracted elections. The outgoing government made efforts to reinvigorate the EU accession process. However, this repeated commitment was offset by the adoption of key legislation in the area of the rule of law, freedom of expression and freedom of assembly that ran against European standards. The political landscape continues to be divided."
- We will respond to any threats from Syria: Ankara Press TV 10 Nov 2015 -- Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu says his country will not hesitate to attack Syria in case of any threats.
- Russian Jet Violated Turkish Airspace in Oct. Due to Anti-Missile Maneuver Sputnik 05 Nov 2015 -- A Russian Aerospace Forces fighter was forced to violate Turkish airspace in October when it was conducting maneuvers to avoid a ground-based anti-missile defense system, Russian Aerospace Forces Commander Viktor Bondarev said Thursday.
- US Ships to Stay Permanently in Eastern Mediterranean Sea - Ankara Sputnik 05 Nov 2015 -- Turkey's foreign ministry announced on Thursday that US warships will permanently remain in the eastern Mediterranean in order to support Turkey's defense needs.
- Pentagon: Reports of US F15 Jets Sent to Turkey Aimed at Russia Overstated Sputnik 05 Nov 2015 -- US media reports have exaggerated claims that Russian aircraft in Syria will be targeted by the F-15C fighter jets being sent to Turkey, US Department of Defense spokesman Captain Jeff Davis told reporters.
- PKK ends unilateral ceasefire in Turkey Press TV 05 Nov 2015 -- The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has ended a month-old unilateral truce in Turkey following President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's pledge to "liquidate" the militants.
- Why is US Deploying F-15C Fighter Jets to Turkey? Sputnik 04 Nov 2015 -- The US Air Force is deploying up to a dozen of US F-15C Eagle fighter jets to Turkey. And although the Pentagon announced that the deployment is to 'ensure the safety' of America's NATO allies, the move is seen by some as a counter to Russia's airstrikes in Syria.
- Turkey may hold referendum on constitution changes: Erdogan aide Press TV 04 Nov 2015 -- An aide to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the Ankara government may hold a national referendum, if necessary, on possible changes to the country's constitution aimed at expanding presidential powers.
- Turkey's Kurds Seek Way Forward Amid Post-election Crackdown VOA 04 Nov 2015 -- The government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has widened a crackdown on media and on what Ankara sees as separatists in the southeastern part of the country after his party regained control of parliament in snap elections. Meanwhile, a Kurdish-dominated party lost seats in Sunday's poll, and Turkey's Kurds are now looking for a way forward in their pursuit of autonomy.
- Turkish Election Outcome May Aid Fight Against IS, Analysts Say VOA 03 Nov 2015 -- Some analysts say Sunday's landslide election victory for Turkey's ruling party could help in the regional fight against Islamic State militants.
- Turkish police arrest 44 Gulen supporters across country Press TV 03 Nov 2015 -- Turkey has reportedly arrested dozens of people, including senior officials and police officers, in an operation targeting supporters of the US-based Turkish opposition cleric Muhammed Fethullah Gulen across the country.
- Turkish Media Report 35 Arrests in Raids Linked to Erdogan Critic VOA 03 Nov 2015 -- Authorities in Turkey detained 35 people Tuesday in an operation targeting supporters of a cleric accused of trying to topple President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, local media said.
- Turkish President: World Should Respect Party's Election Win VOA 02 Nov 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the world should respect the victory of his Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Sunday's snap parliamentary polls, which he described as the people of Turkey voting for stability.
- Turkey ruling AKP party regains parliamentary majority Press TV 01 Nov 2015 -- Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has regained its parliamentary majority which it lost five months ago.
- Erdogan's AKP Wins Parliamentary Majority In Turkey RFE/RL 01 Nov 2015 -- Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has hailed the results from November 1 parliamentary elections as a 'day of victory' for his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) after a nearly complete vote count shows it won a majority of seats in the legislature.
- Turkey's Ruling AK Party Pulls Off Surprise Victory at Polls VOA 01 Nov 2015 -- With 98 percent of ballots counted, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) pulled off a surprisingly big election victory in Sunday's parliamentary polls - the second in five months, prompting accusations of voting irregularities from some opposition politicians.
October
- Turkey - Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) (Corrected*) DSCA 30 Oct 2015 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Turkey for Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) and associated equipment, parts and logistical support for an estimated cost of $70 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on October 28, 2015.
- AKP Party to Continue Peaceful Settlement of Kurdish Issue in Turkey Sputnik 31 Oct 2015 -- Deputy Chairman of the Turkish Justice and Development Party's (AKP) Mevlut Cavusoglu said that the party initiated large-scale construction of infrastructure in the regions inhabited by Kurds and took steps to increase the presence of the Kurdish language in the state media.
- Amid Tension, Turkey's Kurds Pin Hopes on Election VOA 31 Oct 2015 -- The rising influence of Kurdish voters is a central issue in Turkey's parliamentary elections being held Sunday to break a tense political deadlock. The poll is taking place after elections in June were inconclusive and coalition talks with the party of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan failed.
- Deep Divisions Ahead of Turkey's Sunday Election VOA 30 Oct 2015 -- Outside the Istanbul Military Museum, patriotic music blared from huge speakers on a truck bedecked with Turkey's national flag. A handful of tourists shuffled into the museum, but few locals heading to Istanbul's upscale and politically liberal Nisantasi district – a neighborhood peppered with designer label stores – paid much attention to the martial clamor, except to shield their ears.
- Turkish Opposition Cites Pressure Ahead of Poll VOA 30 Oct 2015 -- As Turkey prepares for parliamentary elections Sunday, the leader of the opposition HDP party contends the government is blocking its candidates from campaign appearances on Turkish media.
- 2 Police, 7 Militants Dead in Turkey Raid on IS Targets VOA 26 Oct 2015 -- A raid on an Islamic State cell in southeastern Turkey left two Turkish police officers and seven militants dead Monday, as authorities pressed their effort to combat the extremists based across the border in Syria.
- Turkey won't allow Kurds to control northern Syria: Erdogan Press TV 24 Oct 2015 -- Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Ankara will not allow Kurds to take control of northern Syria, accusing them of trying to grab land in the region.
- Turkey's Political Divisions Deepen VOA 23 Oct 2015 -- Turkey's political divisions continue to deepen following the worst terrorist attack in the country's modern history. More than 100 people died in twin suicide bombings on October 10.
- EU's Delayed Report on Turkey Fuels Human Rights Concerns VOA 21 Oct 2015 -- The European Union is delaying its annual report on Turkey's bid for membership, which is widely expected to be highly critical of Turkey's human rights record. The report is being postponed until after next month's Turkish general election. This has prompted the idea that the EU is willing to use the human rights issue to enlisting Turkey's cooperation in alliance efforts to stem the tide of migrants and refugees entering Europe.
- Syria Offensives Trigger More Turkey-Bound Refugees VOA 21 Oct 2015 -- Turkish officials say 50,000 refugees have left the Syrian city of Aleppo and are heading to the border, but it remains unclear whether they will be allowed to enter Turkey after a hazardous journey dodging airstrikes and negotiating checkpoints manned by disparate rebel militias, including al-Qaida's affiliate in Syria.
- EU Membership More Elusive Than Ever for Turkey VOA 20 Oct 2015 -- Moves by Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to clamp down on the Kurdish minority and the media before next month's parliamentary elections are fueling the longstanding skepticism of European leaders, and analysts say the prospect of Turkey joining the European Union seems more distant than ever.
- Erdoğan's Tough Talk May Pay Off at Turkey Polls VOA 19 Oct 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's gamble to hold a snap election just months after voters denied his party a parliamentary majority may pay off, but only just, according to pollsters.
- Merkel holds talks with Turkey officials over refugee crisis Press TV 18 Oct 2015 -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel has held talks with Turkish leaders in Istanbul in a bid to win Turkey's cooperation in addressing the historic flow of refugees to Europe.
- Turkish police arrest 50 in connection with Ankara blasts Press TV 18 Oct 2015 -- Police in Turkey have arrested some 50 foreign nationals that authorities believe might be linked to a recent deadly bomb attack in the capital, Ankara.
- Army, PKK clashes leave 24 dead in SE Turkey: Source Press TV 18 Oct 2015 -- Four Turkish soldiers and 20 members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) have been killed in the latest clashes in the country's volatile southeast over the past couple of days, a security source says.
- Turkey to target any violator of airspace, says Premier Davutoglu Press TV 17 Oct 2015 -- Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu says Ankara will shoot down any military aircraft that violates the Turkish airspace.
- Turkey: Europe's Offer of Migrant Deal 'Insincere' VOA 16 Oct 2015 -- European Union leaders, at a meeting in Brussels, have agreed on a plan to offer Turkey $3.5 billion, together with visa-free travel and renewed accession talks, in return for stopping the flow of refugees and migrants into the EU. But the offer is getting a lukewarm reception in Ankara.
- Turkey shoots down aircraft 'after three warnings' Press TV 16 Oct 2015 -- The Turkish military says it has shot down aircraft, of an unidentified nationality, in its airspace after warning it three times.
- All Russian Aircraft in Syria, Including Drones, Are Safely At Base Sputnik 16 Oct 2015 -- Earlier today, the Turkish General Staff said Turkey shot down an unidentified aircraft in its airspace near the border with Syria.
- Turkey Downs Unidentified Aircraft on Border With Syria - General Staff Sputnik 16 Oct 2015 -- According to Turkey's General Staff, an unidentified aircraft has been downed by the country's forces for violating its airspace.
- European Rights Court Says Turk Had Right To Deny Armenian Genocide RFE/RL 15 Oct 2015 -- In a landmark freedom-of-speech case, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has ruled that a Turkish politician had the right to deny that the mass killing of Armenians a century ago amounted to genocide.
- In Turkey, UN deputy chief says response to migration and refugee movement 'being tested as never before' UN News 14 Oct 2015 -- The world's ability to respond to migration and refugee movement is "being tested as never before," the United Nations deputy chief today said speaking at the Global Forum on Migration and Development taking place in Istanbul, Turkey, while recalling some key principles underscored by the UN to address this global challenge.
- Turkey Warns US, Russia on Arming Syria Kurds VOA 14 Oct 2015 -- Turkey has warned both the United States and Russia against arming Kurdish forces in Syria, saying they are connected to what Ankara calls Kurdish terrorists within Turkey. Analysts say the West sees the Kurds as a vital ally in countering the spread of the Islamic State terror group, also known as ISIS or ISIL.
- Eight more PKK militants die in restive southeast Turkey Press TV 14 Oct 2015 -- At least eight members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) have been killed in a Turkish military operation in the restive southeastern part of the country.
- Three senior Turkish security officials sacked after Ankara bombings Press TV 14 Oct 2015 -- Three top security officials in the Turkish capital, Ankara, have been dismissed in the wake of the recent twin bomb blasts that rocked the city.
- Erdogan Seizes Upon Ankara Bombing Errors VOA 14 Oct 2015 -- Three senior Turkish security officials have been suspended following the nation's deadliest terrorist attack Saturday in the capital, Ankara. Their suspension comes as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan acknowledged mistakes were made over the attack.
- NATO ready to help Turkey against Russia: Stoltenberg Press TV 12 Oct 2015 -- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has announced its readiness to 'help' its member state Turkey, more than a week after Russian jets, carrying airstrikes in Syria, strayed into Turkish airspace.
- Russia Postpones Open Skies Flight Over Turkey at Ankara's Request Sputnik 12 Oct 2015 -- The Russian Defense Ministry has come to an agreement with Ankara to postpone its observation flights over Turkey, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Gen.-Maj. Igor Konashenkov said Monday.
- Turkey's Political Parties Trade Blame After Bombings VOA 12 Oct 2015 -- The deadliest terror attack in Turkey's history has left the country in shock, but appeals for unity are being ignored, poisoning Turkish politics just weeks ahead of elections that are unlikely to end a parliamentary deadlock.
- US Pulling Patriot Missiles Stationed in Turkey Sputnik 12 Oct 2015 -- The United States has started moving its Patriot missiles from Turkey, US media reported on Sunday.
- Turkish Military Carry Out Airstrikes on PKK Targets in Iraq Sputnik 11 Oct 2015 -- The Turkish military bombed targets of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in southeastern Turkey and Iraq during airstrikes on Sunday.
- Turkey Says Its Jets Harassed by Syrian Warplanes, Missile Systems Sputnik 11 Oct 2015 -- Syrian fighter jets and missile systems harassed Turkish F-16 warplanes near the Turkish-Syrian border on Saturday, the Turkish military said on Sunday, once again bringing the conflict to NATO's southeastern flank.
- Thousands Rally as Turkey Mourns 95 Killed in Bombings VOA 11 Oct 2015 -- Thousands of people took to the streets of Ankara Sunday, many of them chanting slogans against the Turkish government, as the country mourned the victims of twin bombings at a peace rally that killed at least 95 people.
- Bombings a Sign of Turkey's Deep Troubles VOA 11 Oct 2015 -- Turkey has begun a three-day period of mourning following Saturday's bomb attacks in the capital, Ankara, that killed nearly 100 people. With contentious parliamentary elections three weeks away, the attacks highlight the challenges Turkey is facing as it struggles with ethnic friction, an ongoing migrant crisis, and growing tensions with Russia.
- Mafia state in Turkey behind blasts: HDP leader Press TV 10 Oct 2015 -- The leader of Turkey's main pro-Kurdish party has blamed a 'mafia state' in the country over the death of dozens of people in twin blasts in the capital, Ankara, that targeted pro-Kurdish members and activists.
- At Least 86 Dead In Ankara Explosions RFE/RL 10 Oct 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has denounced as 'heinous' a bombing in Ankara that left dozens killed and more than 180 people injured.
- Blasts Kill 86 at Pro-Kurdish Rally in Ankara VOA 10 Oct 2015 -- Twin blasts at a pro-Kurdish peace rally in the Turkish capital Saturday killed at least 86 people and wounded nearly 200 others in the deadliest attack in Turkey's recent history.
- Turkey's Erdogan Warns Russia on Energy Deals VOA 08 Oct 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, angered by Russia's bombing campaign in Syria, warned Moscow on Thursday that Ankara may look elsewhere for partners to supply natural gas and build its first nuclear power plant.
- Turkey Beefs Up Air Patrols Along Syrian Border Sputnik 09 Oct 2015 -- The Turkish military has increased the number of F-16 Fighting Falcon jets patrolling its southern border with war-torn Syria, the country's General Staff said Friday.
- Russia Has Fully Explained Turkish Airspace Violation - Deputy FM Sputnik 08 Oct 2015 -- Moscow considers its explanation for the violation of Turkish airspace by a Russian aircraft sufficient and is ready to continue dialogue on the issue with Ankara if necessary, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Thursday.
- Turkey, EU Discuss Measures To Curb Syrian Migrant Flows RFE/RL 06 Oct 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and top European officials discussed ways to stem the spiraling migrant crisis in Brussels on October 5.
- Twelve more PKK militants slain in southeast Turkey Press TV 06 Oct 2015 -- At least 12 members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) have been killed in Turkish military strikes in the southeastern part of Turkey.
- US, Turkey Threaten to Shoot Down Russian Jets for Airspace Violations Sputnik 06 Oct 2015 -- The US and Turkey have threatened to shoot down Russian warplanes if they stray into Turkish airspace, following two accidental, momentary violations of the Syria-Turkey border by Russian military aircraft.
- Erdogan Says Turkey Cannot Endure Violation Of Its Airspace By Russia RFE/RL 06 Oct 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that his country 'cannot endure' Russian aircraft violating its airspace along the Syrian border, warning that 'an attack on Turkey means an attack on NATO.'
- Erdogan: Ankara-Moscow Relations at Risk VOA 06 Oct 2015 -- Turkey's president on Tuesday questioned the future of relations between Ankara and Moscow after multiple reports of airspace violations by Russian military planes along the Turkish border with Syria.
- Russia looking into Turkey airspace violation claims Press TV 06 Oct 2015 -- Moscow says it is investigating the allegation by Ankara that Russian jets targeting terrorists in Syria have violated Turkish airspace for a second time, reports say.
- Moscow, Ankara Settle Turkish Airspace Violation Incident Sputnik 05 Oct 2015 -- Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that Russia contacted Turkey through diplomatic channels and told Ankara that Moscow respects Turkey's borders.
- U.S., NATO Condemn Russia's Violations Of Turkish Airspace RFE/RL 05 Oct 2015 -- The United States and its NATO allies have condemned Russia's incursions into Turkey's airspace, saying the violations were both dangerous and irresponsible.
- Statement by the North Atlantic Council on incursions into Turkey's airspace by Russian aircraft NATO 05 Oct 2015 -- The North Atlantic Council met today to hold consultations on the potential implications of the recent dangerous military actions of the Russian Federation in and around Syria.
- Turkey soldiers kill 17 'PKK militants' Press TV 02 Oct 2015 -- Seventeen suspected Kurdish militants have been killed by Turkey's armed forces, just hours following a move by the government in Ankara to impose a curfew in the mainly Kurdish southeastern town of Silvan.
- Turkish gag order hits arms-to-Syria trial Press TV 01 Oct 2015 -- A Turkish court has issued a secrecy order for the proceedings of the trial of former officials accused of intercepting arms which were being transferred in 2014 from the country to the militants fighting the Syrian government.
- Fears Over Turkey Media Freedom Grow VOA 01 Oct 2015 -- A prominent Turkish columnist and television news anchor, Ahmet Hakan, has been beaten up outside his Istanbul home. The attack on Hakan, who faced threats over reporting that has been critical of the ruling AK Party, comes as concern grows nationally and internationally over media freedom in Turkey ahead of the November election.
September
- At UN, Turkish Prime Minister urges action to end Syrian crisis UN News 30 Sep 2015 -- Recalling the heart-rending story of the little boy whose lifeless body washed up on a beach in Turkey last month, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu today urged the United Nations to take swift action to address the deepening crisis in Syria and to protect the millions of people "fleeing war and tyranny."
- Turkish warplanes hit 24 PKK targets in southeast Press TV 30 Sep 2015 -- The Turkish army says its fighter jets have hit 24 targets of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants in the southeastern part of the country.
- Obscure Turkish Law Draws Focus Ahead of November Vote VOA 29 Sep 2015 -- A little-used Turkish law against insulting the president is gaining new life. Well-known journalists and, increasingly, ordinary citizens, are being prosecuted and even jailed under the law.
- Turkey kills over 30 PKK militants in cross-border raid: Erdogan Press TV 29 Sep 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says over 30 militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) have been killed in a cross-border offensive by the country's army.
- 22 militants killed in Turkey-PKK clashes in Sirnak: Turkish officials Press TV 29 Sep 2015 -- At least 22 militants of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) have been killed in clashes with Turkish security forces in eastern Turkey over the past few days, Turkish officials say.
- Turkish Security Zones Prompt Human Rights Concerns for Kurds VOA 28 Sep 2015 -- The escalating conflict between the Turkish state and the PKK Kurdish rebel group has resulted in increased curfews and temporary security zones across Turkey's predominantly Kurdish southeast. But more and more questions are being raised over the zones' legality and their impact on a free election due in November.
- Turkish commander killed in PKK clashes Press TV 27 Sep 2015 -- A Turkish major has been killed after clashes broke out with a group of outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants in the country's eastern Tunceli Province.
- Kremlin Says Turkish Pipeline Deal Moving Ahead Despite 'Difficulties' RFE/RL 24 Sep 2015 -- Plans for a new gas pipeline between Russia, Turkey and southern Europe remain intact despite 'difficulties,' the Kremlin said September 23, days after Ankara said talks on the deal were frozen.
- Erdogan Blasts US on Support of Syrian Kurd Fighters VOA 24 Sep 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has criticized Washington over its support of Syrian Kurdish fighters of the People's Protection Units - the YPG, in its fight against the Islamic State. The dispute comes as tensions are renewed between the two NATO allies over the battle against the Islamic State.
- Turkey's PM replaces resigned pro-Kurdish ministers Press TV 23 Sep 2015 -- Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has appointed two new cabinet ministers to replace the pro-Kurdish members of the government who resigned over a debate on how Turkey should handle a growing Kurdish militancy.
- Kurdish ministers resign from Turkey's interim government Press TV 22 Sep 2015 -- Two pro-Kurdish ministers have resigned from Turkey's interim government, signaling new escalation in tensions between the Kurdish opposition and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
- Pro-business Stance of Turkey's Ruling Party Questioned VOA 22 Sep 2015 -- Turkey's AK Party has witnessed unprecedented economic growth in its more than decade-long rule. Its pro-business policies increasingly are coming under question, however, amid police raids against leading businesses and what is seen as the demotion of a key pro-business figure within the party.
- 2 Pro-Kurdish Ministers Quit Turkish Government VOA 22 Sep 2015 -- Two ministers from Turkey's interim government resigned Tuesday while fighting between Kurdish rebels and government forces continues in the country's southeast.
- Turkey Alarmed Over Russian Military Buildup in Syria VOA 22 Sep 2015 -- On the eve of a visit Wednesday by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Moscow, Turkey has dubbed Russia's rapid military buildup in Syria as "very dangerous.'
- Turkish airstrikes reportedly kill 55 PKK militants in north Iraq Press TV 19 Sep 2015 -- Turkish fighter jets have pounded camps of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in northern Iraq, reportedly killing at least 55 militants.
- How can Turkey protect itself and save Syrians? IRIN 14 Sep 2015 -- For four years Turkey appeared to be inoculated against the Syrian crisis. The violence that ravaged its southern neighbour was largely contained on the other side of the border.
- Iraq calls on Turkey to coordinate strikes on PKK Press TV 13 Sep 2015 -- Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari has called on Turkey to coordinate with Baghdad its military campaign against positions of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in northern Iraq.
- Pressure Mounts on Turkey Pro-Kurdish Party VOA 10 Sep 2015 -- In Turkey, pressure is building on the pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party, the HDP. Authorities are asking for the immunity of party leader Selahattin Demirtas to be lifted as he faces charges ranging from aiding terrorism to insulting the president.
- Iraq condemns Turkey ground incursion as 'clear violation' Press TV 10 Sep 2015 -- Iraq has condemned Turkey for dispatching special forces into its soil in reported pursuit of Kurdish militants, calling it a 'clear violation' of its territory.
- Turkey Deploys Ground Forces In Iraq To Pursue Kurds RFE/RL 09 Sep 2015 -- Turkey deployed ground forces across the border into northern Iraq on September 8 for the first time since 2011 to pursue Kurdish militants involved in attacks that killed 31 Turkish police in recent days.
- Protests in Turkey Stoke Ethnic Tensions VOA 09 Sep 2015 -- Nationalist protests erupted Wednesday across Turkey after Kurdish PKK rebels killed more than 30 members of Turkey's security forces in the days since Sunday. Many pro-Kurdish HDP offices were targeted in the violence. Turkey's political parties called for restraint, but there are fears Turkey is edging toward an ethnic conflict.
- Three reasons to pay attention to Turkey's Kurdish war IRIN 08 Sep 2015 -- As the world fixates on the Syrian refugee crisis, Turkey's conflict with Kurdish rebels has suddenly escalated rapidly. At least 30 security personnel have been killed in the past three days and Turkey confirmed today that its troops had entered Iraq in pursuit of fighters from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), the first such incursion in years.
August
- Turkish Forces Enter Northern Iraq to Hunt Kurdish Rebels VOA 08 Sep 2015 -- Turkish ground forces entered northern Iraq Tuesday for the first time since 2011, conducting what an official termed a "short-term" operation to hunt Kurdish rebels behind attacks on Turkish soldiers and police.
- Turkey ground forces invade Iraq in 'hot pursuit' of PKK Press TV 08 Sep 2015 -- Two units of Turkish special forces have crossed into northern Iraq in "hot pursuit" of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party militants after a deadly attack on the army.
- Turkish PM Vows To 'Wipe Out' PKK After 16 Soldiers Killed RFE/RL 07 Sep 2015 -- Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has vowed to "wipe out" Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants after 16 Turkish soldiers were killed by a rebel attack.
- Turkey Bombs PKK After Militants Attack Convoy VOA 07 Sep 2015 -- Turkish fighter jets responded overnight with airstrikes against Kurdish militants after the Kurdish fighters attacked a troop convoy near Turkey's border with Iraq and Iran.
- Parents' Nightmare: Turkish Intel Talks With ISIL for Soldier's Release Sputnik 07 Sep 2015 -- Sputnik spoke to Aydin Tas, father of the Turkish soldier who was taken prisoner by Islamic State militants.
- Turkey Releases 2 British Journalists VOA 03 Sep 2015 -- In Turkey, a British journalist and cameraman have been released from jail.
- Human Rights Group Accuses Turkish Police of Violations VOA 02 Sep 2015 -- In a new report, U.S.-based Human Rights Watch accused Turkish police of engaging in severe ill-treatment and abuse of detainees in the battle against the Kurdish PKK rebel group.
- Turkey Police Move Against Media Ahead of Poll VOA 01 Sep 2015 -- Turkish police launched a series of raids Tuesday on businesses owned by a major media company.
- Turkish Jets Join US-Led Coalition With Airstrikes Against IS VOA 29 Aug 2015 -- Turkish fighter jets have carried out their first airstrikes as part of the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State group in Syria.
- Turkey strikes Syria as part of US-led 'anti-ISIL' coalition Press TV 29 Aug 2015 -- Ankara says it has launched its first airstrikes in Syria as part of the US-led coalition allegedly targeting the Daesh Takfiri terrorists.
- Erdogan approves makeup of pre-election cabinet Press TV 28 Aug 2015 -- Following the failure of coalition talks, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan approved the makeup of an interim government that will run the country until snap elections.
- Turkey says will go on with training, arming Syria militants Press TV 27 Aug 2015 -- Turkey has reaffirmed its support for militants operating in Syria.
- 34 PKK militants killed as Turkish jets hit northern Iraq Press TV 26 Aug 2015 -- More than three dozen members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) have been killed after Turkish military aircraft carried out a series of airstrikes in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region.
- Analysts: Turkey's Regional Influence Wanes VOA 26 Aug 2015 -- With both Saudi Arabia and Iran intensifying regional efforts to end Syria's civil war, observers are warning Turkey, which borders Syria, could be finding itself increasingly marginalized in peace efforts.
- Turkey's Election Appears to Be All About Erdogan VOA 26 Aug 2015 -- President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s name won’t appear on any of the ballot papers Turks will be presented with on November 1.
- Airstrikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq AFPS 25 Aug 2015 -- U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq.
- Officials Finalize Details of Turkey’s Full Inclusion in ISIL Fight AFPS 25 Aug 2015 -- The United States and Turkey have finalized technical details for Turkey’s full inclusion in the coalition fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
- Turkey Will Fly in Anti-IS Missions, Pentagon Says VOA 25 Aug 2015 -- Turkey has agreed to fly in coalition air missions against Islamic State, Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said Tuesday.
- Rebels Blame Turkey After US-Trained 'Moderates' Captured Inside Syria Sputnik 25 Aug 2015 -- Turkish intelligence orchestrated last month's capture of a group of Syrian moderate rebels trained by the United States to fight the Islamic State.
- Turkey, PKK Trade Blame Over Peace Process VOA 25 Aug 2015 -- Kurdish separatist leaders have dismissed appeals from Turkish opposition politicians to halt their attacks on military personnel, arguing that to do so would amount to a “one-sided” cease-fire.
- Pro-Kurdish Party Seen as Wildcard in Turkey Snap Poll VOA 25 Aug 2015 -- Turkey's snap parliamentary election is scheduled to take place November 1, and much attention will be focused on the performance of the pro-Kurdish HDP party.
- Insecurity Threatens Planned Turkey Poll VOA 24 Aug 2015 -- Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said the country will go to the polls again in November.
- Kurdish Mayors In Turkey Arrested For Supporting Self-Rule RFE/RL 23 Aug 2015 -- A Turkish court on August 23 remanded in custody three mayors from Kurdish-dominated southeastern Turkey on charges of trying to destroy national unity by allegedly supporting calls for Kurdish self-rule in the region.
- Syrian Kurdish Forces Allege Turkish Attacks VOA 21 Aug 2015 -- When Turkey began a two-pronged assault against Islamic State and Kurdish PKK rebels last month, critics of the Turkish government worried the fight would spread to other Kurdish targets.
- Turkey seeks extended mandate for operations on Syria, Iraq borders Press TV 21 Aug 2015 -- The Turkish government is reportedly seeking to extend a parliamentary mandate that allows the military to carry out operations against the Daesh Takfiri terrorists on the border with Syria and the Kurdish militants in northern Iraq.
- Soldier Funeral Protests Pose Political Challenge in Turkey VOA 21 Aug 2015 -- Protests are increasing as government ministers attend funerals of Turkish soldiers who were killed by the Kurdish rebel group PKK. Some funerals are taking place in AK Party strongholds.
- Turkey's Erdogan to Call Snap Election VOA 21 Aug 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced Friday he would call snap elections after the failure of coalition talks and a rise in tensions over military action against Kurdish rebels.
- Carter: Turkey should do more in fight against Daesh Press TV 20 Aug 2015 -- US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has called on Turkey to “do more” in fight against Daesh militants in Syria.
- Turkey-Iran Tensions Are Increasing VOA 19 Aug 2015 -- The cancellation of a visit to Turkey last week by Iran's foreign minister has brought increasingly tense relations between Ankara and Tehran into sharper focus.
- IS Threatens Turkey, Calls Erdogan 'Traitor' VOA 18 Aug 2015 -- A new Islamic State video is taking aim at Turkey, issuing a call to arms to "conquer Istanbul."
- Former Iraqi PM Blames Fall of Mosul on Turkey's Erdogan VOA 18 Aug 2015 -- Former Iraqi prime minister Nouri al-Maliki is blaming disaster on Turkish President Recip Tayyip Erdogan and Kurdish regional President Massoud Barzani.
- Location of US Patriot Missiles Redeployed From Turkey to Remain Secret Sputnik 17 Aug 2015 -- The location of US Patriot surface-to-air missile systems, subject to withdrawal from Turkey, will not be disclosed for security reasons.
- US, Germany to Pull Patriot Missiles From Turkey VOA 16 Aug 2015 -- The United States is withdrawing its Patriot missile system deployed near Turkey's border with Syria when its mandate expires in October.
- U.S. To Withdraw Patriot Missile System From Turkey RFE/RL 16 Aug 2015 -- The United States says it will withdraw its Patriot air- and missile-defense units near Turkey’s border with Syria when the mission’s mandate ends in October.
- Germany to withdraw Patriot missile-defense from Turkey Press TV 15 Aug 2015 -- Germany intends to pull out two Patriot missile-defense batteries along with its 250 soldiers from Turkey, German Defense Ministry says.
- Germany to Withdraw Patriot Missiles From Turkey Border Sputnik 15 Aug 2015 -- Germany is planning to withdraw its Patriot surface-to-air system from southern Turkey, which were deployed there as part of a NATO mission to counter alleged threat from Syria, by the end of 2015.
- U.S., Turkey Finalizing Details of Anti-ISIL Airstrikes AFPS 14 Aug 2015 -- The United States and Turkey are finalizing details of Turkey’s recently announced participation in the air campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Syria.
- Turkey constructing wall on border with Syria: Reports Press TV 14 Aug 2015 -- The Turkish military has reportedly started constructing a concrete wall along Turkey’s southern border with conflict-stricken Syria.
- Turkey’s prime minister says coalition talks failed Press TV 13 Aug 2015 -- Turkey’s prime minister says crucial coalition talks with the leader of the main opposition party have failed as “deep disagreements” remain between the two sides.
- Turkey Vows 'Safe Zone' On Syrian Border; U.S. Says No Deal RFE/RL 12 Aug 2015 -- Turkey’s Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu says his country is determined to set up a safe zone just across the border in northern Syria where civilians would be safe from attack.
- Turkish warplanes bombard PKK positions in SW Turkey Press TV 12 Aug 2015 -- Turkish warplanes have bombarded the positions of Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants in the southwestern part of the country.
- Fight Against PKK Boosts Turkey Coalition-building VOA 12 Aug 2015 -- News that the leaders of Turkey's two largest political parties will meet again to discuss forming a governing coalition caught many observers by surprise, given the widely held view that the coalition-building efforts were doomed.
- Staff ‘could not risk’ American lives, says US military source Press TV 11 Aug 2015 -- US military staff were “outraged” after a Turkish liaison officer stepped in and announced a massive airstrike would be launched in Iraq in 10 minutes.
- Turkey Airstrikes Target Kurdish Militants VOA 11 Aug 2015 -- Turkey's military said Tuesday warplanes had carried out airstrikes against 17 Kurdish rebel targets in southeastern Turkey.
- Turkish fighter jets bomb 17 PKK positions in southeast Turkey Press TV 11 Aug 2015 -- Turkish fighter jets have carried out air raids against 17 positions of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the country’s southeast, the Turkish army says.
- Turkey president pledges to purge PKK fighters Press TV 11 Aug 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has pledged to press on with a campaign against Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) militants.
- Turkey identifies female assailant in US Consulate raid Press TV 11 Aug 2015 -- Turkish officials say they have identified one of the two women involved in a recent armed attack on the United States’ Consulate building in Istanbul.
- Air Force F-16s Arrive in Turkey to Join ISIL Fight AFPS 10 Aug 2015 -- Six U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter aircraft and about 300 personnel arrived yesterday at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey.
- Political Violence Rages as Turkish Snap Poll Looks Likely VOA 10 Aug 2015 -- Talks to form a coalition government in Turkey appear to be making little progress and a snap parliamentary election looks increasingly likely.
- US deploying warplanes in Turkey to fight ISIL in Syria Press TV 09 Aug 2015 -- The US Air Force has deployed a fleet of six F-16 fighter jets in a military base in Turkey in order to fight the ISIL terrorist group in Syria, according to the US mission to NATO.
- Aviano F-16s deploy to Turkey AFNS 09 Aug 2015 -- The U.S. Air Force deployed a small detachment -- six F-16 Fighting Falcons, support equipment and about 300 personnel -- to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.
- US Deploys Six F-16 Jets to Turkey as Part of Anti-ISIL Campaign Sputnik 09 Aug 2015 -- The US Air Force is deploying six of its F-16 fighter jets to the southern Turkish base of Incirlik for its ongoing campaign against the Islamic State jihadist group, the US Mission to NATO announced Sunday.
- US Sends F-16s to Turkish Air Base for Anti-IS Efforts VOA 09 Aug 2015 -- The US military said it has deployed F-16 fighter jets to a Turkish air field, as coalition air strikes continue against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.
- Airstrikes kill about 400 PKK members: Turkey media Press TV 09 Aug 2015 -- Some 400 fighters belonging to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) have reportedly been killed in Turkey's airstrikes in northern Iraq over the past two weeks.
- US jets getting ready to fly out of bases In Turkey: Pentagon Press TV 07 Aug 2015 -- American fighter jets will be flying over the Syrian territory within days in the wake of the Turkish government's green-light to the Pentagon to fly manned aircraft out of airbases in the country.
- Turkey appoints new army chief amid military campaign Press TV 05 Aug 2015 -- Turkey has chosen a new army chief amid the country's military offensive against the purported positions of the ISIL terror group as well as militants of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
- EU, US Call for Turkish Restraint Against Kurds VOA 04 Aug 2015 -- The European Union and the U.S. on Tuesday urged Turkey to show restraint in its intensive air bombardment against Kurdish rebels, even as the insurgents killed two more Turkish soldiers and a guard.
- Turkish Public Fears Jihadists More Than Kurds VOA 03 Aug 2015 -- Ankara has promised not to let up in its air strikes against the PKK as part of its declared twin-pronged war against the Kurdish rebels and Islamic State extremists. But the Turkish public appears reluctant to support the PKK crackdown.
- Kurd Suicide Attack Kills 2 Turkish Soldiers VOA 02 Aug 2015 -- Kurdish rebels launched a suicide attack Sunday at a military police post in eastern Turkey, killing two soldiers and wounding 24 others.
- Syrian Kurds Uneasy About US-Turkey Deal VOA 02 Aug 2015 -- After having proved themselves an effective fighting force against Islamic extremists, Syrian Kurds are worrying Washington will distance itself from their fighters and look the other way as Turkey resumes its war against Kurdish separatists.
- Turkey aerial warfare kills some 260 PKK members: Agency Press TV 01 Aug 2015 -- Turkey's state news agency has alleged that the country's week-long aerial warfare against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has killed around 260 members of the outlawed group.
- Iraq's Kurdistan urges end to Turkey's anti-PKK airstrikes Press TV 01 Aug 2015 -- Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region has called on Turkey to halt its airstrikes against the bases of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) on its territory, urging a negotiated settlement to the decades-long Ankara-PKK conflict.
- Barzani Calls On PKK Rebels To Leave Iraq's Kurdish Region RFE/RL 01 Aug 2015 -- Masud Barzani, the president of Iraq's Kurdish region, has called on militants in the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to leave northern Iraq in order to prevent Turkish air strikes from causing civilian casualties.
July
- Three killed in suspected Turkey PKK attacks Press TV 31 Jul 2015 -- At least three people, including two policemen, have been killed and three others wounded in separate attacks carried out by suspected Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighters in Turkey.
- 30 Turkish F-16s bomb PKK camps in northern Iraq Press TV 31 Jul 2015 -- At least 30 Turkish military aircraft have bombarded the positions of Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region of Iraq.
- Turkey to Continue Attacks Until PKK Surrenders, ISIL Threat is Eliminated Sputnik 31 Jul 2015 -- Ankara will not stop its attacks until the threats from ISIL and the Kurdistan Workers' Party are eliminated.
- Turkey Disappointed by Negative Iraqi Stance on Airstrikes on PKK Positions Sputnik 31 Jul 2015 -- Ankara is disappointed by Baghdad's reaction to the Turkish airstrikes against Kurds on the Iraqi territory.
- US Struggles to Align Focus on Fight Against IS VOA 30 Jul 2015 -- Turkey's move to join in the campaign against the group known as the Islamic State, while simultaneously bombing Kurdish fighters associated with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), is again highlighting a critical obstacle to U.S. efforts in the region.
- US, Turkey Differ Over How to Fight IS From Incirlik Air Base VOA 30 Jul 2015 -- Differences have emerged between Washington and Ankara over how to use a Turkish air base near the Syrian border in the fight against Islamic State militants.
- Berlin says Turkey should resume peace process with Kurds Press TV 29 Jul 2015 -- Berlin says German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and the president of Iraq's Kurdistan regional government, Massoud Barzani, agree that Turkey should continue a peace process with Kurds despite a rise in violence.
- Turkey Says Verbal Agreement Only With US For Incirlik Base Use Sputnik 29 Jul 2015 -- Turkish Foreign Ministry said that Ankara has not signed an agreement with Washington for the use of the Incirlik air base in southern Turkey for aerial campaigns against Islamic State.
- US Set to Deploy More Troops, Combat Aircraft to Turkey Sputnik 29 Jul 2015 -- The United States is looking to broaden its military presence in Turkey with more personnel and combat aircraft, in its effort to intensify fight against ISIL alongside Turkish armed forces, a Pentagon official announced Monday.
- Erdogan in China Amid Tensions on Uighurs, Missile System VOA 29 Jul 2015 -- Turkey's president is meeting top officials in China to strengthen ties that have been strained over the delayed sale of a Chinese missile system and Beijing's treatment of its Turkic-speaking Uighur minority.
- Turkey to Buy Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems Details From China Sputnik 29 Jul 2015 -- On Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in China on an official visit. He will hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The two leaders will discuss the delivery of Chinese-produced ABM systems components to Turkey.
- Turkey Bombs Kurdish Rebels in Iraq VOA 29 Jul 2015 -- Turkish warplanes bombarded Kurdish militants in northern Iraq Wednesday, hours after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said it was impossible to continue peace efforts with the Kurds.
- NATO, Turkey in 'Solidarity' on IS, PKK Strikes VOA 28 Jul 2015 -- The Turkish military says it launched a new round of airstrikes on Islamic State group (IS) militants and rebel Kurdish bases in northern Iraq on Tuesday.
- Strikes Against IS, PKK Carry Risks for Turkey's Erdogan VOA 28 Jul 2015 -- Until about a week ago, the buzz around Turkey was whether a coalition government could be formed ahead of an early August deadline, precluding the president from calling for new elections.
- US Lawmakers Weigh Turkish Anti-terror Moves VOA 28 Jul 2015 -- Turkey's two-pronged campaign against Islamic State (IS) militants and Kurdish PKK forces is provoking mixed reactions from U.S. lawmakers.
- Statement by the North Atlantic Council following meeting under Article 4 of the Washington Treaty NATO 28 Jul 2015 -- The North Atlantic Council met today at Turkey's request to hold consultations under Article 4 of the Washington Treaty, which states that "the parties will consult whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence, or security of any of the parties is threatened."
- NATO Chief Backs Turkey's 'Anti-Terror' Campaign in Syria, Iraq VOA 28 Jul 2015 -- NATO held an unusual emergency meeting Tuesday to support Turkey, whose President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his forces are pressing their campaign against Islamic State militants and Kurdish rebels in Syria and Iraq.
- Turkey arrests over 1,000 in 'anti-terror' raids Press TV 28 Jul 2015 -- Turkey has arrested more than 1,000 people across the country in "anti-terrorist" operations launched after a recent deadly bombing in the border town of Suruc.
- Turkey's President Says Peace Process No Longer Possible With Kurds RFE/RL 28 Jul 2015 -- Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on July 28 that Kurdish militants are undermining Turkey's national unity and integrity, and that it is "not possible to continue" the peace process with them.
- Turkey's Military Operation Against ISIL, Kurdish Rebels to Continue Sputnik 28 Jul 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara will continue its military operations against the Islamic State (ISIL) jihadist group and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
- NATO, Saudi Arabia back Turkey's Syria, Iraq military campaign Press TV 28 Jul 2015 -- NATO and Saudi Arabia say they support Turkey's military campaign in Syria and Iraq, as Ankara vows to continue airstrikes against targets in the two Arab countries.
- NATO Not Involved in Creating Buffer Zone in Northern Syria Sputnik 28 Jul 2015 -- NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that the organization does not take part in the creation of a buffer zone in Syria's northern regions.
- What Can A Safe Zone In Northern Syria Accomplish? RFE/RL 28 Jul 2015 -- A reported Turkish-U.S. agreement to create an Islamic State-free zone in northern Syria offers both benefits and risks. Here are three to consider:
- US and Turkey to Provide Air Cover for 'Moderate' Syrian Rebels Sputnik 28 Jul 2015 -- Reversing a long standing decision by the two countries, the United States and Turkey have announced plans to provide air cover for 'moderate' Syrian rebels. While the Pentagon has admitted severe problems in identifying so-called moderates, the new strategy is meant to combat ISIL and to establish a safe zone along Turkey's Syrian border.
- U.S., Turkey Agree To Create Border Zone Free Of Islamic State RFE/RL 28 Jul 2015 -- Turkey and the United States have been discussing plans to try to rout Islamic State militants from Syrian territory along the Turkish border, creating a safe haven for thousands of Syrian refugees and cutting off the militant group's main route for getting recruits and supplies.
- Turkey May Send 5,000 Soldiers to Protect ISIL-Free Areas in Syria Sputnik 28 Jul 2015 -- Ankara could send up to 5,000 troops in order to defend liberated from the ISIL militants territories in Syria, according to media.
- Syrian Kurds: Turkey Continuing PKK Strikes VOA 27 Jul 2015 -- Syrian Kurdish forces of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) that are fighting Islamic State militants say Turkish tanks continued shelled villages under their control late Sunday, saying the attacks occurred west of the Syrian town of Kobani.
- Turkey, US Try to Establish Buffer Despite Differences VOA 27 Jul 2015 -- Turkey says it has secured an agreement with the Obama administration to jointly secure a zone in a small part of northern Syria. But while U.S. officials are confirming the outlines of the deal, discrepancies in how Washington and Ankara view the buffer suggests the accord is not complete.
- Turkish PM Says Air Strikes Changing Regional Game RFE/RL 27 Jul 2015 -- Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said the country's air strikes against Islamic State (IS) and Kurdish militants in Syria and northern Iraq could 'change the game' in the region.
- Turkey Requests NATO Meeting VOA 27 Jul 2015 -- The U.S. is backing Turkey's two-pronged air offensive and artillery strikes against Islamic State militants in Syria and Kurdish rebel targets in Iraq.
- Turkey's Military Operation in Syria Not Aimed At Government Sputnik 27 Jul 2015 -- Mevlut Cavusoglu, Turkey's foreign minister, said that Ankara does not conduct an operation against Assad in Syria, but Turkey and the United States have a common position on the necessity for Assad to resign.
- Civilians Not Targeted by Turkish Army Strikes in Syria, Iraq Sputnik 27 Jul 2015 -- Ankara attacked only military targets of ISIL and PKK in Iraq and Syria, according to Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.
- Over 900 People Detained During Anti-Terror Operation in Turkey Sputnik 27 Jul 2015 -- Over 900 people have been detained during a counter-terrorism operation initiated by the Turkish authorities after a recent bombing and shooting in the Turkish cities on Syria-Turkey border, local media reported on Monday.
- Turkish Prime Minister Rules Out Boots on Syrian Soil Sputnik 27 Jul 2015 -- Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu ruled out on Sunday sending ground troops to fight the Islamic State military group in Syria, according to the Hurriyet newspaper.
- Turkish Jets Strike Kurdish Targets in Northern Iraq Sputnik 27 Jul 2015 -- Turkish air force F-16 jet fighters attacked Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) targets in northern Iraq as a three-year ceasefire came to end, local media reported Sunday.
- US Backs Turkey Strikes Against Islamic State, PKK VOA 26 Jul 2015 -- The U.S. is backing Turkey's two-pronged air offensive and artillery strikes against Islamic State militants in Syria and Kurdish rebel targets in Iraq.
- Truce has no meaning after Turkish attacks, PKK says Press TV 26 Jul 2015 -- Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has announced that its ceasefire with Ankara has lost all its meaning after Turkey's warplanes and artillery fire struck their bases in northern Iraq.
- Turkey starts new wave of airstrikes against PKK Press TV 26 Jul 2015 -- Turkish warplanes have launched a new wave of air raids in northern Iraq to target the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) group.
- EU urges Turkey to preserve peace agreeent with PKK Press TV 26 Jul 2015 -- The European Union (EU) has called on the Turkish government to maintain a peace agreement with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and not allow terrorist activities to spoil the truce.
- Secretary General announces North Atlantic Council to meet following Turkey's request for Article 4 consultations NATO 26 Jul 2015 -- The North Atlantic Council, which includes the ambassadors of all 28 NATO Allies, will meet on Tuesday 28 July, following a request by Turkey to hold consultations under article 4 of NATO's founding Washington Treaty.
- NATO, Turkey to meet over ISIL, PKK on Ankara's request Press TV 26 Jul 2015 -- NATO ambassadors are to meet for talks called by Turkey over Ankara's military operations against the ISIL Takfiri terrorists and Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) group.
- NATO To Meet At Turkey's Request RFE/RL 26 Jul 2015 -- NATO says it will hold emergency talks on July 28 to discuss Turkey's security operations against both Islamic State (IS) and Kurdish militants, as the country presses ahead with air strikes in neighboring Syria and Iraq.
- Opposition Politicians Accuse Erdogan of Whipping up War Fever VOA 26 Jul 2015 -- Spurred by last week's jihadist suicide bombing in southern Turkey, the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has started to assume the kind of front-line role Washington has been urging on it for months. But Turkish airstrikes since the bombing have been as focused on Turkey's outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) as on Islamic extremists, say opposition politicians.
- Turkey Targets IS in Syria, PKK in Iraq VOA 25 Jul 2015 -- Turkish fighter jets hit Islamic State militant camps in Syria and Turkish ground forces struck the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) sites in northern Iraq overnight Saturday.
- Turkey jet fighters hit 7 PKK targets: PM office Press TV 25 Jul 2015 -- The office of Turkey's prime minister says seven Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) targets have been struck by Turkish warplanes in northern Iraq.
- Ankara Committed to National Unity Despite Airstrikes on Kurds in Iraq Sputnik 25 Jul 2015 -- Ahmet Davutoglu urged the Kurdistan Workers' Party to lay down their arms and stressed that Turkish authorities will not put up with those 'who abuse the peace process.'
- Turkey Proposes Buffer Zone in ISIL-Free Areas in Northern Syria Sputnik 25 Jul 2015 -- Ankara suggested creating a security zone for refugees in northern Syria. But first of all, that area must be cleared from ISIL militants.
- Turkish Warplanes Strike Kurdish Militant Camps In Northern Iraq RFE/RL 25 Jul 2015 -- Turkish warplanes launched attacks on camps of the militant Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in northern Iraq late July 24, Turkish and PKK sources said.
- Turkey Hits IS in Syria, Allows US to Use Base VOA 24 Jul 2015 -- Turkey launched cross-border airstrikes against Islamic State targets Friday and opened its air bases to U.S. warplanes attacking extremist forces in Syria.
- Turkey, US agree on no-fly zone over Syria: Turkish Hurriyet daily Press TV 24 Jul 2015 -- An agreement reached between Turkey and the United States on what they call cooperation against the ISIL terrorist group also includes establishing a no-fly zone over the Arab country, a Turkish newspaper says.
- Turkish warplanes carry out airstrikes in Syria Press TV 24 Jul 2015 -- The Turkish government has confirmed that its warplanes have launched attacks on targets inside neighboring Syria said to be the positions of ISIL Takfiri terrorists.
- Turkey Opens Bases to US Aircraft, Joins Anti-ISIL Airstrikes Sputnik 24 Jul 2015 -- Ankara allowed Washington to use its air bases for airstrikes against ISIL, the foreign ministry said.
- Turkey Attacks IS in Syria, Allows US to Use Incirlik Air Base VOA 24 Jul 2015 -- Turkey launched cross-border airstrikes against Islamic State targets Friday and opened its air bases to U.S. warplanes attacking extremist forces in Syria.
- Regional Forces Step Up in Syria as US-Led Campaign Falters VOA 24 Jul 2015 -- The U.S. government revealed earlier this month that its plan to train and equip thousands of "moderate rebels" to fight the Islamic State in Syria has not materialized. But with Turkey joining the fight and Syria's government advancing on ISIS-controlled areas, officials say they hope more localized efforts will yield better results.
- Reports Say Turkey to Permit US Attacks from Incirlik Base VOA 23 Jul 2015 -- U.S. and Turkish media reported Thursday that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has agreed to let U.S. fighter planes use Incirlik Air Base in Turkey to launch attacks on Islamic State militants inside Syria, although Washington declined to publicly discuss details of new cooperation between the two countries.
- Ankara Grants US Military Go-Ahead for Strikes Against ISIL From Turkey Sputnik 23 Jul 2015 -- In the fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State terrorist group, the Turkish government has reportedly given the US permission to conduct air strikes from its soil, according to the Wall Street Journal and Turkish media.
- Turkey sends fighter jets to Syria border after soldier death in gunfire Press TV 23 Jul 2015 -- Turkey has scrambled fighter jets to the Syrian border after a soldier was killed and a number of others injured in the Kilis region by gunfire which came from the Syrian side of the frontier, Turkish media say.
- Turkey Calls on Fighter Jets as Officer Is Killed in ISIL Gunfight Sputnik 23 Jul 2015 -- Turkey has scrambled fighter jets to its border with Syria after earlier clashes with five ISIL militants claimed the life of a Turkish officer and left others wounded.
- US, Turkey to 'stem flow' of ISIL militants on Turkish-Syrian border Press TV 23 Jul 2015 -- Washington and Ankara have agreed to work jointly in a declared attempt to tighten security along Turkey's border with Syria, aimed at controlling the movement of ISIL militants in the region.
- Turkey Allegedly Had Role in Helping Iran Dodge Sanctions VOA 22 Jul 2015 -- More details are emerging about the role Turkey has allegedly been playing in assisting Iran to dodge international sanctions involving the trading of gold by an Iranian businessman that Turkey's president once dubbed a philanthropist.
- Turkey Boosts Border Security After Suicide Attack VOA 21 Jul 2015 -- The Turkish government has announced it will step up border security following Monday's suicide bombing in the town of Suruc, on the border with Syria.
- US, Turkey Working to Overcome Strains VOA 20 Jul 2015 -- Disagreements over Syria policies have strained relations between allies Turkey and the United States.
- 28 Dead in Blast Near Turkey's Border With Syria VOA 20 Jul 2015 -- Student activists from towns across Turkey who had traveled to the border town of Suruc were waving banners and chanting their support for Syria's Kurds when a blast struck Monday, killing at least 28 and wounding more than 100.
- Turkey Cracks Down on Islamic State Militants VOA 17 Jul 2015 -- Turkish security forces are engaging in what is being seen as an unprecedented crackdown on the Islamic State militant group – an indication that Ankara's policy towards the Islamic group has changed.
- Erdogan hits back at German magazine over spying report Press TV 16 Jul 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has roundly rejected a recent report that the country's National Intelligence Organization (MIT) is spying on political dissidents in Germany, describing it as fictional and slanderous.
- Turkey Confirms Greek Jets Chased Turkish Fighters Over Aegean Sea Sputnik 16 Jul 2015 -- Earlier in the day, several news outlets reported that Greece had scrambled fighter jets after Turkish aircraft had trespassed into Greek airspace.
- Turkey Courts Deal Successive Blows to AK Party VOA 16 Jul 2015 -- Following the AK Party losing its majority in Turkey's parliament in June elections, the country's courts have dealt it a series of legal blows. The rulings are seen as a sign the judiciary is seeking to re-establish its independence.
- Kurdish Groups End Cease-fire With Turkey VOA 13 Jul 2015 -- An umbrella network of Kurdish organizations that includes the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has announced a three-year-long cease-fire agreement with Ankara is now over, dealing a major blow to a protracted reconciliation process with Turkey's Kurds.
- Turkey ex-president reacts to successor's accusations Press TV 13 Jul 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reportedly reacted to his predecessor's accusations about the country's flawed foreign policy.
- Possible Coalition Partners Meet in Turkey VOA 13 Jul 2015 -- Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has begun meeting with opposition leaders to find a coalition partner following June's inconclusive general election. The AK Party leader's first meeting was with the center left CHP. The two party's are the largest and at opposite ends of the political spectrum, but there is increasing calls for a "grand coalition.'
- Turkey Says Refugee Burden Unsustainable VOA 10 Jul 2015 -- Turkish officials said they will be unable to cope with any new influx of refugees from the civil war in Syria, warning that Europe could be faced with growing numbers of Syrians trying to reach its shores aboard people-smugglers' boats.
- Legacy of Coup Probes Haunt Effectiveness of Turkish Military VOA 08 Jul 2015 -- Turkish forces remain massed on the Syrian border, with Ankara warning it may intervene to secure the frontier; but, with hundreds of senior military officers jailed or forced into retirement as a result of investigations over coup plotting, questions are being raised over what impact this has had on military capabilities.
- Kurds' Mules a Concern for Turkey's Government VOA 06 Jul 2015 -- Turkish armed forces and Kurdish fighters are clashing regularly in low-grade firefights in southeastern Turkey, and soldiers are targeting local mules, which the authorities claim are used by Kurdish fighters for lucrative cross-border smuggling.
- Turkey mulling direct military intervention in Syria Press TV 06 Jul 2015 -- The Turkish military has called on all troop commanders stationed along its border with Syria to be present at a meeting aimed at discussing a possible intervention in the crisis-hit country.
- Turkey threatens to launch military intervention in Syria Press TV 03 Jul 2015 -- Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu says his country would not hesitate to launch a military intervention in Syria in case of what he referred to as a potential threat to Turkey's "security."
June
- Military intervention in Syria to cost Turkey dearly: Opposition leader Press TV 30 Jun 2015 -- Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has warned the government against any military intervention in neighboring Syria, saying such a move would cost Ankara dearly.
- Turkish Opposition Party Warns Against Military Intervention in Syria Sputnik 30 Jun 2015 -- Last week, local media reported citing military sources that the Turkish government was planning to deploy troops on its border with Syria in an attempt to create a buffer zone and prevent Syrian Kurds, which have made significant gains in their fight against the Islamic State, from strengthening their positions.
- Turkey Vows Retaliation, but Rejects Syria Intervention VOA 30 Jun 2015 -- Turkey has warned it will retaliate if it feels its security is threatened by either Islamic extremists or Syrian Kurds along its border, but it appears for now Ankara is not contemplating a broader go-it-alone intervention to establish a buffer zone inside Syria as some Turkish press reports suggested.
- Kurdish Peace Process Affects Creation of New Ruling Coalition VOA 29 Jun 2015 -- In Turkey, the stalled Kurdish peace process is becoming a central issue in efforts to put together a coalition government, following the country's general election earlier this month. The recent military gains by Kurds against the Islamic State in neighboring Syria also is adding pressure to the coalition-building efforts.
- Turkey considering military intervention in Syria: Reports Press TV 29 Jun 2015 -- Reports coming out of Turkey suggest that Ankara is preparing for a military intervention in neighboring Syria.
- Kurds Accuse Turkey of Allowing IS Attack on Kobani VOA 25 Jun 2015 -- The Islamic State's assault on the Syrian town of Kobani on Turkey's border is putting Ankara under political fire.
- Turkish MPs Sworn In as Coalition Questions Loom VOA 23 Jun 2015 -- Turkey's parliament reconvened Tuesday with a swearing-in ceremony for the newly-elected deputies following the June 7 general election.
- Turkey Warns US About Kurdish Advances in Syria VOA 22 Jun 2015 -- Turkey has warned the United States and Western powers of red lines when it comes to the Kurds and their military advances against Islamic extremists in northern Syria, including a firm position the Kurds must not threaten the territorial integrity of Syria by seeking their own autonomous Kurdish State.
- Turkey Political Crisis Deepens VOA 21 Jun 2015 -- Turkey's nationalists closed the door this weekend on forming a coalition with the country's main opposition party, seemingly setting the stage either for new parliamentary elections or for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) to remain in power with nationalist support. The price for that, however, could be the end of peace talks between Ankara and the Kurds.
- New Turkish Government Could Mean Policy Shift on Syria VOA 17 Jun 2015 -- Throughout the general election campaign, Turkey's opposition parties were united in their criticism of the AK Party policy of supporting Syrian rebels seeking to defeat President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
- Turkey unhappy with Kurdish fighters' victories against ISIL Press TV 14 Jun 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed grave concern over the recent advances of Kurdish fighters in the Syrian province of Raqqa where Takfiri ISIL terrorists are operating.
- In Post-Election Scramble, Turkey Puts IS Fight on Hold VOA 11 Jun 2015 -- Hundreds of Turkish parliamentarians have six weeks to form a government. But after more than a decade of one-party dominance, and a history of failed coalitions in Ankara, experts tell VOA there may be little change in how Turkey deals with the biggest elephant in the regional zoo: the Islamic State.
- Turkey's AKP Party Struggles to Mend Internal Rift VOA 11 Jun 2015 -- In the wake of its worst-ever electoral setback, Turkey's former ruling party, the AKP, faces a protracted analysis of what went wrong during its parliamentary election campaign – a debate that is expected to reveal a deep rift within its ranks.
- Turkey moves to restrict inflow of Syrian refugees Press TV 11 Jun 2015 -- Turkey is taking a series of measures in order to restrict the inflow of Syrian refugees, who are fleeing the ongoing fighting between the terrorist ISIL militant group and Kurdish forces near Turkey-Syria border.
- Turkey's Erdogan pushes for coalition amid uncertainty Press TV 10 Jun 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has held a surprise meeting with a senior opposition figure as part of purported efforts to form a coalition government.
- Turkish Lawmakers to Seek Coalition After Election Surprise VOA 10 Jun 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan 'is open to'' all possible coalition options for a new government, including a partnership, which would exclude the ruling party that he founded, a senior opposition legislator said Wednesday.
- U.S., Turkish Airmen Train in Exercise Anatolian Eagle AFPS 09 Jun 2015 -- U.S. Air Forces in Europe personnel are participating in Exercise Anatolian Eagle with the Turkish air force, Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren told reporters here today.
- What do Turkish elections mean for Syrian refugees? IRIN 09 Jun 2015 -- While the European Union celebrated Turkey's election results on Sunday as a victory for democracy, the nearly two million Syrian refugees living in the country may not have been greeting it with such good cheer.
- News Analysis: The 'Nice Boy' Defeats Erdogan RFE/RL 08 Jun 2015 -- At the height of Turkey's overheated and insult-laden parliamentary election campaign last week, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan mocked Selahattin Demirtas, leader of the mainly Kurdish Democratic Party of Turkey's Peoples (HDP) --considered the political wing of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) - by calling him 'that nice boy.'
- Turkey's Erdogan Calls for Responsibility After Election VOA 08 Jun 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Monday for his country's fractious political parties to act responsibly in the aftermath of elections that ended his ruling majority in parliament, but financial markets quickly recoiled at the uncertainty.
- Turkey's AKP Loses Parliamentary Majority VOA 08 Jun 2015 -- Voters handed Turkey's president a stumbling block to his plan to expand his powers when his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) failed for the first time to win an outright majority, its biggest setback in 13 years.
- Turkey AKP loses absolute majority in parliament Press TV 07 Jun 2015 -- In a setback for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has failed to win a majority in parliamentary elections, partial results show.
- Support Slips For Turkey's Ruling Party RFE/RL 07 Jun 2015 -- Preliminary results from Turkey's parliamentary election suggest the ruling party of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan could lose its simple majority in Parliament.
- Turkey Voters Reject Erdogan Bid for More Power VOA 07 Jun 2015 -- Turkey's ruling AK Party lost its absolute majority in parliamentary elections on Sunday - a stunning defeat for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's bid to rewrite the nation's constitution and create a presidential democracy. The results will force Erdogan's party to form a coalition government for the first time since he took power in 2002.
- Turkey's Erdogan defends construction of new presidential palace Press TV 06 Jun 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says the reason behind the building of his new lavish presidential palace was that his old prime minister's office had cockroaches in its bathrooms.
- Turkey's Vote Is All About Erdogan RFE/RL 06 Jun 2015 -- Turkish voters go to the polls on June 7 in parliamentary elections that are more about the fate of Turkey's long-time leader, President Tayyip Recep Erdogan, than they are about forming a new government.
- Turkey's Election Outcome Difficult to Predict VOA 05 Jun 2015 -- Turkey's ruling party looks as if it will remain in the majority in parliament in this weekend's elections, with polls indicating it has a strong lead over its rivals.
- Turkish President Attacks Pro-Kurdish Party as Election Nears VOA 04 Jun 2015 -- Turkey's general election set for Sunday is predicted to be one of closest in more than a decade for the ruling AK Party. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan increasingly is targeting the HDP, the pro-Kurdish opposition party, which is seeking for the first time to enter parliament as a political party. A surge in political attacks on the HDP has coincided with an increase in the number of violent attacks against the party.
- Erdogan vows to punish journalist behind Syria trucks video Press TV 01 Jun 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says a 'heavy price' is looming for the newspaper which published video footage purportedly showing the country's state intelligence agency helping send weapons to militants in neighboring Syria.
- IS Gains in Syria Threaten Rebel Links to Turkey VOA 01 Jun 2015 -- Islamic extremists overran three towns in northern Syria this weekend, capturing them from Western-backed Free Syrian Army rebels and Islamist brigades as Syrian warplanes struck widely across the north of the country, dropping barrel bombs on towns controlled by both competing insurgent groups.
May
- Turkish Election Outcome Could Shape Syria Policy VOA 26 May 2015 -- The latest opinion polls in Turkey are predicting that the ruling AK Party could lose its majority in parliament in the June 7 election. Analysts warn a significant change in foreign policy could be looming regarding Syria and the influx of refugees into the country.
- Turkey, US begin program to train, equip Syria militants Press TV 26 May 2015 -- Turkey and the United States have officially started a joint program for training and equipping the militants operating against the government in Syria.
- Turkey's Main Opposition Party Hopes for Election Breakthrough VOA 22 May 2015 -- Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has sought an image change ahead of the June 7 general election. The move comes after suffering successive defeats at the hands of the Islamist-rooted AK Party, which has portrayed it as hostile to religion.
- Turkey - MK 15 Phalanx CIWS Upgrades DSCA 20 May 2015 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Turkey for MK 15 Phalanx CIWS Upgrades and associated equipment, parts and logistical support for an estimated cost of $310 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.
- Turkey, Other Syria Neighbors Say EU Should Take More Refugees VOA 20 May 2015 -- President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan says Turkey has spent nearly $6 billion on 2 million Syrians and Iraqis who have fled the conflicts in their countries and he says it is time developed nations do their "duty" and take in more refugees but there are few signs European Union countries are ready to do so
- In Turkey, Erdogan's Election Rhetoric Draws Ire VOA 18 May 2015 -- As campaigning for next month's parliamentary poll heats up, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been pictured waving a Quran at an election rally and weeping during the reciting of an Islamic prayer, prompting opposition politicians to accuse him of breaking with the secular traditions of modern Turkey's founder, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, and enflaming religious passions.
- Turkey says shot down Syrian helicopter Press TV 16 May 2015 -- Turkey has shot down a Syrian helicopter 'for violating its airspace,' Turkish officials claim.
- Turkey arrests soldiers over Syria-bound arms interception Press TV 16 May 2015 -- Turkey has detained eight serving members of the Army in connection with last year's interception of an alleged arms convoy destined to Syria.
- Turkey Opposition Nervous About Ankara's Syria Policy VOA 14 May 2015 -- Recent victories by the Syrian opposition are being attributed to a newfound unity among Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar. Opposition parties in Turkey are not happy with the efforts between the countries, however, accusing the government of preparing to intervene militarily in Syria.
- Turkey's Economic Woes at Center of Election Campaign VOA 12 May 2015 -- Turkey received disappointing economic news Tuesday with an unexpected rise in the country's current account deficit, caused by a severe fall in exports.
- US-Turkish Pact Could Slow 'Jihadist Highway' VOA 11 May 2015 -- Washington and Ankara are close to signing a security deal to improve cooperation in stemming the threat of groups like the Islamic State (IS). In the face of strong criticism from its allies, Ankara has in the past few weeks stepped up its efforts to stop would-be jihadists from entering Syria to join the ranks of IS. But doubts remain over Ankara's priorities.
- Turkish Border Crackdown Imperils Syrian Refugees VOA 11 May 2015 -- Turkish authorities have tightened controls, ending their open-door policy for Syrian refugees and making it more difficult for Syrians to enter Turkey and for international journalists to cover the war. There are even reports of people being fired upon as they approach the border.
- Russian arms exporter reaches several agreements with Turkey at IDEF-2015 arms fair TASS 07 May 2015 -- Russia's arms exporter Rosoboronexport has reached a number of agreements with the Turkish colleagues at the International Defense Industry Fair IDEF-2015 in Turkey. The work on the agreements will be started in May, the company's delegation head Anatoly Aksyonov told journalists on Thursday.
- Russian arms exporter offers its combat systems to Turkish Navy TASS 07 May 2015 -- Russia's arms exporter Rosoboronexport has offered combat systems of Russian manufacture to the Turkish Navy, the company's chief delegate at the IDEF-2015 weapons show Anatoly Aksyonov has said.
- Turkey shows interest in Russian air defense systems - Russia's arms exporter TASS 06 May 2015 -- Turkey is showing interest in Russian air defense systems, Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport Deputy Head Sergey Goreslavsky said at the IDEF-2015 arms exhibition on Wednesday.
- Turkey to End Import Dependence of Defense Industry by 2023 - Erdogan Sputnik 05 May 2015 -- Turkey is going to completely abandon the import of defense industry products in 2023, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at the opening ceremony on Tuesday of IDEF 2015, the 12th International Defense Industry Fair, in Istanbul.
- Russian Arms Exporter Plans to Expand Deliveries to Turkey Sputnik 05 May 2015 -- Russian-Turkish technological cooperation will continue in joint projects to include short-range missile defense systems, tactical digital communications, orbital space systems, as well as various military and marine equipment.
- Supplies of Antey-2500 missiles to Turkey fully within its powers to decide TASS 05 May 2015 -- Possible supplies of the Antey-2500 antiaircraft missile systems to Turkey stay fully within the latter country's powers to decide, Anatoly Aksyonov who chairs a delegation of the Russian state weaponry exporting corporation to the 12th international defence industry fair IDEF'15 told TASS.
- Turkey Opposition Puts $16B Price Tag on Neighborhood Wars VOA 04 May 2015 -- Turkey's main opposition party says the Syrian civil war and the conflict in Iraq have cost the country more than $16 billion in the past four years in refugee costs, lost import and export opportunities, and reduced tourism revenue, and it blames President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for having worsened the economic fallout for Turkey from the neighboring conflicts by pursuing what it calls "wrong policies."
April
- Armenia commemorates centenary of 1915 massacre Press TV 24 Apr 2015 -- Armenia has held a memorial ceremony to mark the centenary of the massacre of a great number of Armenians during the World War I.
- Ceremonies Mark 100th Anniversary Of Armenian Massacre RFE/RL 24 Apr 2015 -- French President Francois Hollande has called on Turkey to use 'other words' to describe the mass killings in the Ottoman Empire of up to 1.5 million Armenians during the World War I era, referring to Ankara's refusal to recognize the massacre as genocide.
- German President: Armenian Deaths 'Genocide' VOA 23 Apr 2015 -- German President Joachim Gauck for the first time Thursday called the World War I massacre of 1.5 million Armenians a genocide and said Germany bears some of the responsibility.
- Armenian Mass Killings: Who Says 'Genocide' And Who Doesn't RFE/RL 23 Apr 2015 -- Armenians - and many others - say there is no doubt that the World War I-era mass killings and deportations of up to 1.5 million Armenians in the eastern stretches of the Ottoman Empire constitute the 20th century's first genocide.
- 1915: The Crumbling Of An Empire, And The Massacre That Ensued RFE/RL 23 Apr 2015 -- The 1915 massacre of Armenians by Ottoman Turks was more than a systematic ethnic purge. It also was a desperate effort to save a once-great empire.
- Australia, Turkey Aim to Stop Flow of Militants to Syria VOA 23 Apr 2015 -- Australia and Turkey have announced plans to stop the flow of Australians traveling to Syria to fight for Islamic radical groups. During a visit by Prime Minister Tony Abbot to Ankara, the governments say they are working to stop foreign fighters from using Turkey as a transit point.
- Turkey Lobbies Obama on Armenian 'Genocide' VOA 21 Apr 2015 -- Ankara is becoming increasingly concerned about whether U.S. President Barack Obama will follow Pope Francis and the EU parliament in using the word 'genocide' on the 100th anniversary (April 24) of the start of the mass killings of Armenians. A senior Turkish official warns that political and military steps will be taken if the word 'genocide' is used.
- Erdogan Strikes Nationalist Tone Ahead of Armenian Commemorations VOA 16 Apr 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has condemned the European Parliament and Pope Francis for describing the 1915 killings of Armenians at the hands of Turks as a genocide. With the centennial anniversary of the mass killings approaching, there is growing debate within Turkey's small Armenian minority about Erdogan's ruling AK Party.
- Turkey says never possible to recognize 1915 Armenia killings as genocide Press TV 15 Apr 2015 -- Turkey says it will never recognize as genocide the 1915 killing of Armenians as the European Parliament considers whether to pass a resolution on the Ottoman-era massacre.
- Turkey Unlikely to Engage in Yemen Military Operation - Parliamentarian Sputnik 14 Apr 2015 -- Turkey is highly unlikely to participate directly in military operation in Yemen and will limit its involvement to providing logistical support to Saud-led coalition at the very most, Member of Turkish Republican Party (CHP) Osman Faruk Logoglu told Sputnik Monday.
- Turkey begins to construct first nuclear power plant Press TV 14 Apr 2015 -- Turkey has started the controversial construction of its first nuclear power plant, which Ankara hopes will bring a new era of greater energy self-sufficiency for the country.
- Turkey's Erdogan voices anger over Pope's 'mistake' Press TV 14 Apr 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed anger over Pope Francis' recent controversial remarks, where he used the word "genocide" to describe the 1915 killing of Armenians.
- Slim Chance of Turkish-Kurd Talks Before June Election VOA 14 Apr 2015 -- Clashes between the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) and Turkey's military that left at least five dead in recent days are casting doubt on the chances of a long-running peace process advancing before parliamentary elections in June.
- Turkey Furious At Francis Over Pope's 'Genocide' Comment RFE/RL 13 Apr 2015 -- Turkey is furious over Pope Francis's use of the word 'genocide' in a mass marking the centenary of the slaughter of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire.
- Pope Uses 'Genocide' To Describe Armenian Killings RFE/RL 12 Apr 2015 -- Pope Francis has called the mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman soldiers during World War I 'genocide' at a Sunday mass where he marked the 100th anniversary of the tragedy.
- Turkey Summons Vatican Envoy Over 'Genocide' Remarks VOA 12 Apr 2015 -- Turkey quickly summoned the Vatican's envoy to protest Sunday after Pope Francis marked the 100th anniversary of the mass killing of Armenians by calling it a genocide.
- Turkey's Opposition Party Gains Political Traction VOA 03 Apr 2015 -- This week across Turkey, hundreds of thousands of members of the Republican People's Party, or CHP, turned out in primaries to choose candidates for June's general election. The unexpectedly high turnout and enthusiasm for the unprecedented primaries was a widely acknowledged success.
- Turkey's Latest Violence Becomes Political Flashpoint VOA 02 Apr 2015 -- Turkey was rocked this week by a series of incidents in the air and on the ground.
March
- Turkey Seen Taking Harder Stance Against Militant Kurds VOA 31 Mar 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appears to be taking an increasingly hard line toward militant Kurds with continued strikes against PKK military bases in Turkey. That stance comes as the president is being seen as moving closer to his generals.
- Turkish President Warns Iran About Trying to Dominate Middle East VOA 30 Mar 2015 -- Turkey's president warned it will not tolerate Iran dominating the Middle East, amid growing concerns inside the country that it will be sucked into a sectarian conflict with its neighbor. Observers warn that Turkey's newly-assertive policy has risks, given that relations with most of its neighbors are strained.
- Turkey Supports Saudi-Led Attack on Houthis in Yemen Sputnik 26 Mar 2015 -- Turkey supports the regional military operation against Houthi militants in Yemen, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
- Analysts: Turkey's President, PM Vie to Control Ruling Party VOA 24 Mar 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's efforts to maintain his dominance over his country's politics are causing splits with his ruling AK Party. The struggle for control of the party now centers on who will decide which candidates it will run in June's parliamentary election.
- Turkey President, PM at Odds Over Kurdish Peace Efforts VOA 23 Mar 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc are at odds over the government's handling of peace efforts involving Kurdish militants, whose insurgency has spanned several decades. Observers say the dispute is an indication of a deepening division within the ruling AK Party.
- Turkey's Kurdish Leader Ocalan Calls on Rebels to End Fighting VOA 21 Mar 2015 -- In Turkey, imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan has called for an end to decades of fighting by his Kurdish rebel group, the PKK. The call was made in a letter to Kurds celebrating Nowruz, or new year, in Turkey's predominantly Kurdish southeast.
- Obama Urged To Recognize Mass Killings Of Armenians As Genocide RFE/RL 19 Mar 2015 -- Members of the U.S. House of Representatives introduced a resolution on March 18 urging President Barack Obama to recognize the mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman soldiers during World War I as genocide.
- Missile sale to Turkey confirmed People's Daily 19 Mar 2015 -- China confirmed an agreement to sell the HQ-9 air defense missile system to Turkey on Tuesday, during the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition in Malaysia.
- Azerbaijani, Georgian Presidents In Turkey For TANAP Ceremony RFE/RL 17 Mar 2015 -- Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili were in Turkey on March 17 to attend a ceremony marking the start of the construction of the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP).
- Turkey Braces for Expected Refugee Influx From Iraq VOA 17 Mar 2015 -- Turkish authorities are bracing for an influx of refugees from the Iraqi city of Mosul, predicting as many as 300,000 could flee to Turkey once an assault begins in earnest to recapture the city from the militants of the Islamic State.
- Turkey enraged by US call for talks with Assad Press TV 16 Mar 2015 -- Turkey has slammed the United States for proposing open talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in order to end the crisis in the Arab country.
- Turkey Uses Special Powers to Halt Metal Workers Strike VOA 12 Mar 2015 -- After just two days of a nationwide strike by Turkey's Metal Workers Union, the government invoked emergency powers to postpone the strike for 60 days, claiming national security was threatened.
- Turkey's Erdogan, Central Bank Chief to Meet Amid Economic Turmoil VOA 09 Mar 2015 -- The continuing dispute between Turkey's president and the Central Bank chief has hit hard hit the country's economy hard. Observers warn that the threat of financial turmoil is unlikely to let up as the June general election draws near.
- Turkey Cracks Down on Political Dissent, Again VOA 06 Mar 2015 -- Prosecutors are increasingly demanding jail time for people engaging in political dissent – from a former beauty queen to a top newspaper editor. And their efforts are likely to intensify in the run-up to June's general election even as human rights groups voice alarm over the crackdown.
- ISIL leader hospitalized in Turkey's Denizli: Official Press TV 06 Mar 2015 -- Turkey has confirmed that an ISIL terrorist leader has been hospitalized in a facility in west of the country, further proving links between Ankara and the Takfiris who are wreaking havoc in Iraq and Syria.
- Two Pilots Killed in Turkish Warplane Crash Sputnik 05 Mar 2015 -- Two pilots have been killed after a Turkish warplane crashed near the Turkish city of Konya.
- US, Turkey Differ on Aims of Training Syrian Rebels VOA 02 Mar 2015 -- Turkey agreed in mid-February to join the United States in a train-and-equip program for Syrian rebel fighters, but Ankara and Washington have not ironed out their differences over the aims of the program.
February
- Ocalan calls for disarmament of Kurdish fighters Iran Press TV 28 Feb 2015 -- Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of the pro-independence Kurdish fighters in Turkey, has called on his followers to lay down their arms.
- Syria condemns Turkey tomb operation as 'flagrant aggression' Iran Press TV 22 Feb 2015 -- The Syrian government has denounced the Turkish army's recent operation in the Syrian territory as an act of "flagrant aggression."
- Turkey's Evacuation of Tomb Guards In Syria Draws Rebuke VOA 22 Feb 2015 -- Damascus is calling a Turkish military operation in northern Syria to evacuate dozens of troops and relocate a historically significant tomb an act of 'flagrant aggression.'
- Kurds' Ascendance With West Further Isolates Turkey VOA 19 Feb 2015 -- French President Francois Hollande's hosting this month of the leading members of the Syrian Kurdish group, Democratic Union Party (PYD), is regarded as further evidence Turkey is becoming increasingly isolated and outmaneuvered by its Kurdish rivals.
- Alarm Grows Over Turkish Security Legislation VOA 11 Feb 2015 -- Parliamentary opposition parties and the European Union are asking Turkish leaders to reconsider proposed new security legislation, but the government insists tough measures are needed following violent protests last October.
- Turkish police officers arrested in eavesdropping case Iran Press TV 08 Feb 2015 -- Turkish police have launched a new wave of raids, arresting a number of police officers on suspicion of illegally eavesdropping on top officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
- Iraq urges Turkey to stop flow of terrorists Iran Press TV 08 Feb 2015 -- Iraq has called on Turkey to step up border patrols and stop the flow of terrorists as the government in Baghdad is locked in fierce battle with the ISIL Takfiri terrorists.
- Turkey's Bank Seizure Highlights Erdogan's Growing Ambition VOA 04 Feb 2015 -- Turkey's banking watchdog has transferred control of Bank Asya to a state-run fund, purging its executives with a decision that effectively hands over the Islamic lender to the government.
January
- Congressmen urge Turkey to stop passage of ISIL terrorists to Europe Iran Press TV 31 Jan 2015 -- Senior members of the US Congress have slammed Turkey for allowing ISIL terrorists to enter the country from Iraq and Syria and travel to Europe to conduct terror attacks.
- Erdogan slammed for seeking authority to dissolve parliament Iran Press TV 30 Jan 2015 -- A senior member of the Turkish opposition has criticized the president for seeking the authority to dissolve parliament, saying that such powers will turn Turkey into a dictatorship.
- Germany, Turkey May Sign New Intelligence Agreement to Stop IS Fighters Sputnik 29 Jan 2015 -- Germany is planning to discuss a new intelligence agreement with Turkey to enhance border security to stop German fighters, traveling abroad to join the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, according to German newspaper "Süddeutsche Zeitung".
- Kurdish Party Pushes Political Gamble to Run in Turkey Poll VOA 28 Jan 2015 -- Turkey's pro-Kurdish HDP has announced it will run as a political party instead of fielding candidates as independents in June's general election. But if the party fails to secure the required 10 percent of the vote, it could open the door to the ruling AK party to achieve its goal of securing enough parliamentary seats to change the constitution and introduce a presidential system.
- Turkey Pressures EU with Membership Ultimatum Sputnik 24 Jan 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that if the European Union (EU) is opposed to Islamophobia, it must accept Turkey within its ranks, the Hurriyet Daily News reports.
- Turkey, Israel Ties Further Weakened Over Paris Attacks VOA 23 Jan 2015 -- Turkey and Israel have been exchanging angry barbs in the aftermath of this month's Paris terror attacks.
- Secular, Religious Kurds Face Off in Southeast Turkey VOA 22 Jan 2015 -- Turkey's predominantly Kurdish southeast has been rocked by violence between secular Kurdish nationalists and their more pious compatriots. The region's main city, Diyarbakir, has become the epicenter of bloody clashes between the two groups.
- Turkey arrests 23 in wire-tapping scandal Iran Press TV 20 Jan 2015 -- Turkey has arrested 23 people for wire-tapping senior government officials including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
- In Rare Move, Turkish President Convenes Cabinet VOA 19 Jan 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan convened a Cabinet meeting in a rare move Monday, raising concerns among critics of a power grab from what was once a largely ceremonial position.
- 3,000 in Turkey linked to Daesh IRNA 18 Jan 2015 -- Around 3,000 people in Turkey are believed to be linked to the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group, a Turkish intelligence report said on Saturday, warning of possible attacks by extremists.
- Turkey bans media reports on arms delivery to Syria militants Iran Press TV 14 Jan 2015 -- The Turkish government has warned the media against publishing reports that the country's National Intelligence Organization, MIT, delivered arms in 2014 to foreign-backed militants operating in Syria.
- Turkey Targets Social Media Over Arms Scandal Leaks VOA 14 Jan 2015 -- Turkish authorities are moving fast to scrub the Internet of leaked official documents implying that a Syria-bound arms convoy intercepted by police last year was being coordinated by Turkish intelligence.
- Turkey introduces tough new border policies for Syrians IRIN 14 Jan 2015 -- Turkey has quietly increased travel restrictions for Syrian refugees that could have a hugely damaging impact on aid agencies working in the country, IRIN has learned.
- EU MPs to Warn Turkey on Press Freedom VOA 12 Jan 2015 -- The European Parliament is preparing to formally warn Turkey against violating press freedom, rebuking its government for last month's arrests and detention of dozens of journalists who have criticized Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his ruling Justice and Development Party.
- Turkey to buy four additional F-35 fighter jets from US: Davutoglu Iran Press TV 08 Jan 2015 -- Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has announced plans by his country to purchase four more F-35 fighter jets and an additional five helicopters from the US.
- Erdogan Says Anti-Gov't 'Parallel State' Threatens National Security Sputnik 06 Jan 2015 -- Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan said on Tuesday that the 'parallel state' driven by the US-based cleric Fethulla Gulen poses a significant threat to national security, Turkish Anadolu Agency reported.
- Turkish MPs Clear Ex-Ministers of Corruption VOA 05 Jan 2015 -- A Turkish parliamentary committee has cleared four former ministers of corruption charges. The investigation followed controversial police probes into the allegations, which the government and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described as a coup attempt by police.
- Turkey Detains 22 Police Officers Suspected of Illegal Spying Sputnik 05 Jan 2015 -- 22 police officers, suspected of illegally wiretapping politicians, officials and businessmen, were arrested in Turkey, Reuters reports, citing Turkey's privately owned Dogan
News Agency.
- Turkey, US to sign deal on training Syrian militants Iran Press TV 05 Jan 2015 -- Turkey and the United States are taking the final steps to finalize an agreement to equip and train militants fighting against the Syrian government.
- Turkey opens top officers' trial over eavesdropping Iran Press TV 02 Jan 2015 -- Turkey begins the trial of 13 former police officers on the charge of setting up bugs to illegally eavesdrop on the calls of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan while he was prime minister in 2011.
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