Turkey troops arrive in Qatar for long-planned drills
Turkish troops have arrived in Qatar for long-planned joint military exercises, Al Jazeera reported on Monday, a deployment made possible by legislation fast-tracked by Turkey following a diplomatic rift between Doha and four other Arab states. The channel posted a video on its website of a column of armored personnel carriers moving through streets. It […]
Iran and Turkey Support Embattled Gulf State Accused of Sponsoring Terror
As the pressure from its neighbors starts to bite, Qatar is receiving support from two non-Arab partners, but the help from Iran and Turkey is likely to further antagonize its critics. Iran and Turkey are sending planeloads of food supplies to Qatar, while Turkey has offered to do the same and fast-tracked legislation approving the […]
US ‘deeply concerned’ after Turkey arrests Amnesty International official
The Trump administration criticized the Turkish government Wednesday after police in that country detained a prominent human rights lawyer as part of a crackdown on people suspected of links to a U.S.-based cleric accused of masterminding a failed coup. State Department spokesman Heather Nauert said the U.S. was “deeply concerned” by the arrest of Taner Kilic in at […]
U.S.-Turkish relations deeply strained ahead of Erdogan’s visit to White House
Barely two months ago, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was one of President Trump’s biggest fans. Fed up with what he saw as the Obama administration’s wishy-washy Syria policy, its unwise alliance with Kurdish “terrorists” and its failure to understand the need for some of his authoritarian policies, Erdogan envisioned a new dawn in U.S.-Turkish […]
Mixed Messages as NATO Protects Turkey, Arms Kurds
The roughly half-hour meeting in London appeared to be the highest level talks between the two nations since Washington announced on Tuesday plans to back the YPG militia in an assault to retake the city of Raqqa from Islamic State. Turkey views the YPG as the Syrian extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), […]
Amid Dispute Over U.S. Arming Syrian Kurds, Mattis Says Relationship With Turkey ‘Not Always Tidy’
Defense Secretary James Mattis expressed confidence Wednesday that a dispute with Turkey over a U.S. decision to arm Syrian Kurdish fighters in the campaign to dislodge ISIS terrorists from their Raqqa stronghold will not affect a relationship between the NATO allies which he described as “not always tidy.” “We have very open discussions [with the […]
Turkey’s president raises tensions with criticism of Israel
Tensions have resurfaced between Turkey and Israel, with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan criticising the “racist and discriminatory” treatment of Palestinians, and Israel responding by summoning the Turkish ambassador and condemning Ankara’s human rights record. Erdoğan, Turkey’s president, denounced Israeli practices during an address in Istanbul on Monday night, describing the blockade of Gaza as having “no […]
Turkish President Erdogan criticizes Israel, claims Jerusalem is under ‘occupation’
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sparked anger from Israel on Monday with a string of critical remarks — including his claim that Jerusalem remains under Israeli “occupation.” “Both in terms of our religion and historical responsibility, Al-Quds and the fight of our Palestinian brothers for rights and justice is of great importance to us. We […]
Turkey warns U.S. of blowback from decision to arm Kurdish fighters in Syria
Turkey warned the United States on Wednesday that a decision to arm Kurdish forces fighting Islamic State in Syria could end up hurting Washington, and accused its NATO ally of siding with terrorists. The rebuke came a week before President Tayyip Erdogan is due in Washington for his first meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, […]
US Says Turkey Conducted ‘Unsafe’ Air Strikes in Syria, Killing US Partners
With less than an hour’s notice to the U.S.-led coalition, Turkey, a U.S. NATO ally, conducted airstrikes in northern Syria on Monday night, killing “a significant number” of Kurdish YPG fighters, who have been “very important to the fight against ISIS,” Air Force Col. John Dorrian, the spokesperson for Operation Inherent Resolve, told reporters at […]