Turkey

Turkey kicks off serial production for armed trainer Hurjet

The Turkish government has given the go-ahead for the mass production of the country’s indigenous basic trainer and light-assault aircraft. The decision for serial production of the Hurjet was taken at a Jan. 12 meeting of Turkey’s ultimate decision-maker on defense procurement, the Defence Industry Executive Committee. The meeting was …

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Turkey aims to keep tensions high in northeast Syria through targeted killings

In retaliation for a mysterious explosion along the Turkish-Syrian border, Turkey hit several Kurdish positions in the predominantly Kurdish town of Kobani in an attack that the Kurds call a “war rehearsal” aiming to test the water. Turkey appears to be aiming to maintain high tensions in northeast Syria through …

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Strong Turkey-Ukraine ties are key to Black Sea security

On Jan. 6, 2019, the eve of Orthodox Christmas, the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul awarded a decree of independence, known as a tomos, to the then-newly established Orthodox Church of Ukraine — a milestone in the country’s history. The move reversed a 1686 decision that had transferred jurisdiction over Kyivan …

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‘Bunların anlaşacağı yok’ mu dersiniz?

Diplomasi balesi denen sanatın “posturing” denen bir figürü vardır ki, tam tercümesi “etkilemek veya yanlış yönlendirmek amacıyla yapılan davranış” veya daha kestirmeden “yapmacık tavır takınmak” diye çevirebiliriz. Bütün dünya, “ABD ile Rusya Dışişleri Bakan Yardımcıları Cenevre’de bir araya geliyorlar, Üçüncü Dünya Savaşı veya o kadar geniş olmasa da bir Karadeniz …

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Suspected suicide bombers strike in northwest Syria near Turkish border

At least three people were killed on Thursday in a series of explosions including two suspected suicide bombings in northwest Syria near the Turkish border, witnesses said, in the first such attacks this year. A rescue worker said one civilian was killed after an improvised explosive device went off in …

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Turkey to fight against terrorism with new concept, Akar says

Turkey will eradicate terrorism at its source, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Saturday, adding that the country has no interest in the territory of other countries. The minister met with representatives of the press in the capital Ankara at the annual assessment meeting. Expressing that Turkey is working intensively in …

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Erdogan hopes fence-mending trip to Saudi Arabia eases financial woes

Following normalization with the UAE in November, Erdogan plans to pursue reconciliation with Saudi Arabia next month, pressed by financial woes at home, as both sides appear ready to leave the Khashoggi affair behind. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is gearing up for a fence-mending visit to Saudi Arabia next …

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Turkey Scrambles to Salvage Its Influence in a Post-U.S. Afghanistan

Like other foreign powers, Turkey was caught off-guard by the speed of the Taliban’s recent blitz across the country, which has greatly complicated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s plans. While most NATO countries were happy to wash their hands of the conflict after a grueling 20-year counterinsurgency and nation-building effort, …

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An Isolated Erdogan Learns the Cost of Hubris in Idlib

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan traveled to Russia on Thursday, seeking to persuade President Vladimir Putin to help stem disaster in Syria’s Idlib province. Turkish forces are locked in fierce combat there with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s army in what has become the last bastion of the armed rebels fighting …

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Erdogan’s Africa Diplomacy Puts Turkey’s Ambitions to the Test

Last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan touched down in Luanda, Angola, for the first leg of a four-day, three-nation diplomatic tour of Africa. After meeting with Angolan President Joao Lourenco, the Turkish leader continued on to West Africa, where he met with his Togolese counterpart, Faure Gnassingbe, before concluding …

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