Olaf Scholz, the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), won the elections held on September 26 in Germany. Until a year ago, German social democrats were considered to disappear from the political scene, and it was forecasted that the election would be between Christian Democratic candidate Armin Laschet and …
Read More »Russia bombs Turkey’s allies in Syria ahead of Putin-Erdogan summit
Russian jets shelled a camp for the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army in Afrin, north of Aleppo, and intensified its airstrikes against the areas controlled by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in Idlib ahead of the meeting between the Turkish and Russian presidents on Sept. 29. Sources affiliated with the Syrian opposition’s so-called …
Read More »Top generals step down in ominous sign for Turkish military in Syria
Top generals in charge of Turkey’s military operations in Syria have sought retirement amid escalating tensions in Idlib, fueling questions over Ankara’s Syria policies. Turkey was rattled last week by reports that five generals serving on Syria-related missions were seeking to resign, including the head of a command center in …
Read More »Turkey’s political realities clash with Erdogan’s 2023 dreams
To win the next election, Erdogan must change the election laws but also find more popular political allies. His AKP party’s current coalition with the ultra-nationalists is becoming a liability for his goal of re-election in 2023. Since the last elections in 2019, two debates have dominated the Turkish political …
Read More »Erdogan-Putin summit highlights Turkey’s fragile balancing act
Erdogan’s failure to achieve his goals in the high-profile meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin shows that Turkey’s balancing act with Russia and the United States is on the verge of a collapse. Having been trapped in its balancing act between Russia and the United States, Turkish diplomacy is trying …
Read More »Turkey suspends free medical treatment for Syrians
New measures restrict the entry of Syrian patients to Turkey by canceling free treatment in its state hospitals and forcing them to pay the full cost of treatment. Turkey has recently suspended the issuance of the temporary protection ID card — known as Kimlik — for Syrian refugees who need …
Read More »Erdogan says Turkey plans to buy more Russian defense systems
President Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey still intended to buy a second batch of S-400 missile defense systems from Russia, a move that could deepen a rift with NATO ally Washington and trigger new U.S. sanctions, Reuters reported. According to the report Washington says the S-400s pose a threat to its …
Read More »How an Islamic State suspect lived as a shopkeeper in Turkey
The Turkish judiciary’s weakness in dealing with Islamic State suspects comes under the spotlight after a bombshell report on how a Syrian man suspected of ordering the burning to death of two Turkish soldiers in 2016 walked free from court and lived as a shopkeeper in Turkey. The first time …
Read More »Russia intensifies Idlib attacks ahead of summit with Turkey, Iran on Syria
Some believe that the Russian escalation in Syria’s Idlib is either a prelude to a major assault or a means of increasing pressure on Turkey. Since early September, Russia has been stepping up its military attacks and airstrikes in Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib and its surroundings. Russian President Vladimir …
Read More »Turkish lira drops to near record lows after Central Bank trims policy rate
The move came following pressure from the Turkish president. Ceding to pressure from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s central bank trimmed its policy rate by 100 basis points to 18% on Thursday, in an apparent bid to stimulate the economy in the midst of high inflation and mounting popular discontent …
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