In a readout on the two leaders‘ meeting in Saudi Arabia, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Mr. Trump had told the Syrian leader that „he has a tremendous opportunity to do something historic in his country,“ and urged him to join Saudi Arabia in signing onto the U.S.-backed Abraham Accords, to normalize ties with Israel.
Archiv: the Pasha (ruler of Turkey)
Erdoğan’s fourth term, brought to you courtesy of Turkey’s Kurds?
(February 13, 2025)
When Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ran for re-election in 2023, he told voters, it would be the last time. Under current provisions, Turkey’s President can only hold office for two five-year terms, but it now appears that Erdoğan will seek a (constitutionally prohibited) fourth term. To achieve this, he will need to find a way to change the constitution, but this can only happen if he succeeds in gaining the support of Turkey’s main pro-Kurdish party.
What’s behind Erdoğan’s calculated shift on Kurds and its potential consequences
(March 5, 2025)
Drawing Kurdish political support away from the opposition and securing Kurdish backing for constitutional reforms would allow him to seek another presidential term.
With 57 parliamentary seats, DEM holds significant sway and can make all the difference if Erdoğan initiates a constitutional amendment process.
Congress delegation meets Istanbul Mayor İmamoğlu in detention
(May 7, 2025)Congress President Marc Cools led the first international delegation to meet Mayor İmamoğlu following his arrest on 23 March 2025.
After their official visit to Türkiye on 5-6 May 2025, the delegation made the following statement:
“Following our substantial exchange of views with Mr. İmamoğlu we remain convinced that it is unacceptable, under the rule of law, to deprive Istanbul of its elected mayor by detaining him without trial or substantiated charges, and we reiterate our call for his immediate release. This situation constitutes a violation of Mr. İmamoğlu‘s fundamental human rights and seriously hampers the ability of local governance in the largest city of Türkiye to function effectively in serving the needs of its citizens.
Turkey Protests LIVE: Turkey‘s Opposition Holds Rally Protesting Arrest of Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu
Turkey Protests LIVE: Turkey‘s Opposition Holds Rally Protesting Arrest of Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu
Turkey’s main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) holds a rally against the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.
Turkey’s Opposition Is Energized: ‘The Fire Is Already Lit’
Supporters of the political opposition are finding ways to fight back after the government jailed the top political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Tens of thousands gather in Istanbul in defence of democracy, solidarity with İmamoğlu
Tens of thousands of demonstrators filled Istanbul’s Maltepe district on Saturday in the largest protest to date against the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. The demonstration, organised by the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), marked the tenth consecutive day of mass resistance against what protestors describe as a “civil coup” led by the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
In an emotionally charged speech, CHP leader Özgür Özel accused the government of staging a politically motivated crackdown to eliminate electoral opposition.
Netanyahu‘s genocide policy must be stopped: Erdoğan
Separately, the Turkish Foreign Ministry shared a statement that condemns the devastating strikes.
“The massacre of hundreds of Palestinians in Israel‘s attacks on Gaza this morning [March 18] demonstrates that the Netanyahu government‘s genocide policy has entered a new phase. Israel defies humanity through its violations of international law and universal values in the gravest way,” read a written statement by Foreign Ministry on March 18.
Is this the dawn of a new era in the Middle East?
The Gaza war and its aftermath in Lebanon and Syria seem to have strengthened the hands of Israel and Turkey, while weakening those of Iran and its allies. At the same time, the return of Trump appears to have brought the US even closer to Israel, and upped its opposition to Iran.
But how much this is truly a departure from the past should not be overstated. Most powers, such as in the Gulf and Egypt, have had to adapt to the new circumstances, but their policy positions have not drastically altered.
Zelensky to visit Ankara on Tuesday: Turkish presidency
The pair will discuss steps to “further strengthen cooperation between the two countries,” Erdoğan’s chief press aide, Fahrettin Altun, wrote on X.
The Ukrainian president will fly to Ankara from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where he landed on Sunday for talks on economic cooperation.
On Wednesday he is due to travel to Saudi Arabia.
Ilham Ahmed condemns international inaction on Turkey’s War Crimes in Syria
She criticised the hypocrisy of Western powers such as France and Germany, highlighting the gap between their official statements and actions on the ground. In particular, she condemned their inaction regarding ongoing Turkish military attacks on civilians and infrastructure in northern Syria, stressing that these assaults continue without any clear response or preventive measures from Western nations.
Ahmed was also questioned about her foreign policy efforts, specifically whether she had raised human rights concerns, including Turkey’s occupation of large parts of northern Syria and its alliance with Islamist militias. She confirmed that she had addressed these issues with international actors such as the United Nations, the United States, and European states, urging them to act as guarantors to facilitate the return of refugees to their homes.
Turkish attacks killed 41 civilians, injured 258 others in North-East Syria in 25 days
According to the Health Board of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, 41 civilians were martyred and 258 others were wounded between January 8 and February 1 (25 days).
Names of the civilians who were killed or injured as a result of the attacks on the Tishrin Dam are as follows:
Syria: Manbij car bomb attack suspends SDF-Damascus talks
The attack on Monday killed at least 20 people, most of them women working in agricultural fields.
The area was captured from the SDF by Turkey-backed armed groups in the Syrian National Army (SNA) coalition in December. Fighting has been ongoing between the factions around the Tishreen Dam to the east.
There have been seven car bombings in and around Manbij since December. No one has claimed responsibility.
SDF says Tishreen Dam civilian death toll risen to 20
(8 hours ago)
SDF has accused Turkey and the militia groups it supports, who call themselves the Syrian National Army (SNA), of carrying out attacks on the crucial Tishreen Dam near Manbij city. Hundreds of civilians have travelled from other SDF-held areas in northeast Syria (Rojava) to the dam to form a human shield but they have come under several drone attacks.
At Least 37 Fighters Killed in Turkish-Backed Push Against North Syria’s Tishreen Dam
(January 20, 2025)
Despite losing the gateway town of Manbij in early Turkish-backed offensives, the SDF has successfully defended the Tishreen Dam area. Already over 440 fighters have been killed on both sides in just the month and a half since the fall of the al-Assad Syrian government.
Turkish Airstrike Kills Syrian Kurdish Political Leader as Offensive Continues
(January 19,2025)
A Turkish airstrike today has reportedly killed Menije Hado, the co-chairperson of the Kurdish PYD, the leading political party among Syrian Kurds. She was among 6 civilians killed and over 20 wounded in the attack near the Tishreen Dam in Qamishli.
Hado and the others were participating in a sit-in near the Dam, a protest aimed at calling the international community to do more to prevent attacks on that area, a major source of fresh water and electricity for northeastern Syria.
HTS raids and forced disappearances fuel fear in Syria’s Alawi heartlands
MEE is not aware of any evidence linking Assad’s departure to a deal with Israel. However, there have been reports suggesting that the former president shared sensitive military information with Israel in exchange for a guarantee of safe passage out of Syria.
Since the government collapsed, Israel has conducted hundreds of strikes on Syrian military positions nationwide and launched a ground invasion, capturing the entire buffer zone along the occupied Golan Heights and beyond.
The government, Hussem said, had the means to resist but chose not to, opting instead to flee and leave their officers to fend for themselves.
Assad‘s former aide says deposed Syrian president was ‚tricked‘ by Putin
“But what happened was that the Iranians told Bashar al-Assad, ‘we did not receive any signals to proceed with moving Iranian aircraft to the Hmeimim base [or to] fly through Iraqi airspace to land at the base,’” Saqr told Mazeej.
“The question was relayed to Moscow, but no answer came.”
When asked whether this was a “trick by Putin”, Saqr said there was “no other explanation”.
Saqr said the Iranians told Assad they sent a plane regardless through Iraq, but were warned by the US that the aircraft would be shot down if it continued.
Syria’s Shifting Sands: A New Middle East Order
The final outcome in Syria appears stark: Assad’s regime has fallen, and the Syrian army has been entirely dismantled—an unprecedented event even compared to the 1967 war. Israel now firmly controls the Golan Heights and Mount Hermon. Turkish forces have seized more than 13 cities, cementing their influence. The United States has solidified its presence in oil-rich regions while extending legal protection to the Kurds and the SDF.
Turkey, Allies Violate Extended Ceasefire With Syrian Kurds, Dozens Killed
Turkey and their allies, collectively known as the Syrian National Army (SNA), hold territory in Syria’s northeast, but have gained considerable influence having backed the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in the takeover of most of the country. HTS officials are already suggesting that stamping out Kurdish separatists is a near-term goal, and that Turkish involvement in Syria’s reconstruction is a priority.
US officials have been trying to reassure the Kurds that they don’t face any immediate threats to existence from Turkey’s allies, despite Turkish officials saying the “elimination” of the SDF’s largest faction, the YPG, is their strategic goal.
No talk of ceasefire between Turkey and US-backed SDF in Syria, Turkey says
(December 19, 2024)
There is no talk of a ceasefire deal between Turkey and the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northern Syria, contrary to a U.S. announcement, a Turkish defence ministry official said on Thursday.
The State Department had said…
Der Umsturz in Syrien, seine Hintergründe und möglichen Auswirkungen
Und was Israel angeht – auf kurze Sicht profitiert es wohl davon. Israel hat die Situation dazu genutzt, mehr Land zu besetzen, angeblich Waffenlager zerstört. Aber ich kann mir nicht vorstellen, dass ein islamischer Staat auf längere Sicht gut für Israel ist.
Vor einem guten Jahr hat sich in der israelischen Führung ein riesiger Wandel vollzogen. Ein wichtiges Ziel dieser neuen Strömung: Es darf keinen Palästinenserstaat geben. Man will einen durch und durch jüdischen Staat. Israels Bevölkerung ist zerrissen, was diese Themen angeht, fast am Rande eines Bürgerkrieges. Netanjahu ist autoritärer denn je, er hat alles persönlich unter Kontrolle.
Und es hat sich noch etwas drastisch verändert: Die Israelis in den 70er- und 80er-Jahren waren säkulare Europäer, diese Menschen an der Regierung heute sind alttestamentarisch. Sie sind nicht der Logik und der Ratio zugänglich, sondern sie fühlen sich ihrer quasi biblischen Vision verpflichtet. Da ist magisches Denken am Werk.
(…)
Für mich ist das eine Art geopolitisches Schneeballsystem. Netanjahu setzt alles daran, die Kämpfe am Laufen zu halten – würde man innehalten und das Ganze hinterfragen, würde das System kollabieren wie bei einem Schneeballsystem.
Massive strike in Syria registers on Richter scale as Israel targets military sites in coastal Tartus region
“Earlier today, an Israeli fighter jet carried out an airstrike on radars in Deir Ezzor Military Airport,” it said.
“Moreover, an anonymous explosion took place at the only bridge on Euphrates River that connects between the city and Hatla Village, which is one of the seven villages in SDF-held areas.”
Turkey, Israel seize the moment as region reels from Syria’s implosion
(December 11, 2024)
Erdogan, Netanyahu aren‘t letting the crisis on their borders go to waste
Turkey and Israel are reaping rewards from the chaos in Syria
(December 5, 2024)
How the incoming Trump administration intends to deal with the situation in Syria is anyone’s guess. Given that the president-elect has chosen staunch Israeli supporters to occupy senior posts in his cabinet, there appears to be strong reason to believe that Trump 2.0 policy towards Damascus will be determined to a large degree by Israeli preferences. If so, Washington’s approach may be to weaken and possibly oust Assad from power given the latter’s longstanding alliance with Iran, which remains Public Enemy Number One for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Turkey-backed forces continue advance in northern Syria, defense ministry source says
Turkey-backed rebel forces are continuing their advance to „clear terrorism“ in northern Syria, a Turkish defense ministry source said on Thursday, referring to the forces‘ battle against Kurdish forces in the region.
Turkey has been telling the United States repeatedly that „a terrorist organization cannot be eliminated by using another terrorist organization,“ the source also said.
Kurdish-led administration in northeastern Syria urges ‚unity‘ as Turkey presses assault
The Kurdish-led administration says it is willing to „unite“ with the new administration in Damascus, as it raises the flag of the opposition in the territories it controls in northeastern Syria.
Northeastern Syria, which is controlled by the People‘s Protection Units (YPG) and their US-backed affiliate the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has been under attack by Turkish forces since the ousting of Bashar al-Assad on Sunday.
Merz nach Assad-Sturz: Stärker mit Türkiye zusammenarbeiten
Nach dem Sturz von Machthaber Assad ist noch vieles unsicher in Syrien. Am Rand seiner Ukraine-Reise hebt der CDU-Vorsitzende Merz die starke Rolle von Türkiye hervor. Die EU und Deutschland sollten gemeinsam mit Ankara die Region „befrieden“.
Syria‘s Assad is in Moscow after deal on military bases: Russian state media
(December 9, 2024)
Syrian opposition leaders had agreed to guarantee the safety of Russian military bases and diplomatic institutions in Syria, the source told news agencies.
Qatar’s Syrian endgame
(December 4,2024)
One has to decide to what extent such notions as reconciliation, appeasement or friendship have any reliable meaning when dealing with Qatar or Turkey.
Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, with its well-known loyalty to both Turkey and Qatar, could not have moved its troops without Qatari instructions.
Funding for the Free Syrian Army is part of a budget allocated by Doha since the Qatari leadership decided to overthrow President Assad at the beginning of the civil war.
We have agreed on Syria. But why did Russia need to give in to Turkey?
Russia maintains its military bases and embassy in Syria after the overthrow of the government of Bashar al-Assad. The agreements with Turkey are obvious.
Turkey, Russia and Iran Meet in Doha Seeking Exit From Syria Chaos
Turkey‘s foreign minister will meet with his Russian and Iranian counterparts in Doha on Saturday to try to find a solution to the renewed fighting in Syria and avoid chaos on its doorstep.
The three countries have been partners since 2017 in the Astana process seeking to end the civil war in Syria. This is despite the fact they have supported opposite sides on the battlefield.
Turkish-backed extremists ‚headed to Damascus‘ says Erdogan
“We do not want escalation to continue in the region,” the Turkish president claimed.
“Idlib, Hama, and Homs are in the hands of the Syrian opposition, and they are continuing towards Damascus. We extended our hand to Bashar al-Assad but he did not respond,” he added.
Aufständische in Aleppo: „Die Schwäche der Verbündeten Syriens genutzt“
Zum anderen dürfte das, was wir in Syrien sehen, der Hinweis auf eine etwas größer angelegte türkische Strategie sein. Ich vermute, dass die Türkei längerfristig große Teile von Nord- und Ostsyrien einer zumindest indirekten Kontrolle unterwerfen und damit vor allem das kurdische Autonomiegebiet im Nordosten Syriens in Schach halten oder sogar beseitigen will. Dort herrscht nämlich ein Ableger der türkischen PKK.
Syrian rebels sweep into Aleppo, nearby province in huge setback for Assad
(November 30,2024)
Opposition sources in touch with Turkish intelligence said Turkey, which supports the rebels, had given a green light to the offensive. Turkish officials were not immediately available to comment on Saturday.
Turkish intelligence directing extremist offensive in northwest Syria: Report
(November 30, 2024)
Militants from the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) currently invading Aleppo, Syria‘s second-largest city, are taking orders from Turkish intelligence, French news agency AFP reported on 30 November.
Putin ‚Letting Syrian Rebels Overthrow Assad‘: Ex-Trump Intel Chief
(November 30, 2024)
Russia appears to be „letting the Syrian rebels overthrow“ President Bashar al-Assad according to Richard Grenell, who served as acting director of National Intelligence for a time during Donald Trump‘s first administration.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Grenell, who had been tipped as a possible member of Trump‘s incoming administration, commented: „Russia seems to be letting the Syrian rebels overthrow Assad. Big. Time to play chess.“
SDF responds to HTS attack, “We will defend our people”
(November 27, 2024)
Shamî stated that the attack in Aleppo was planned and coordinated by the Turkish state. He said that, by using groups like HTS, the Turkish state is trying to prevent peace in Syria and “realise its long-term occupation plans”. According to Shamî, the attacks are being carried out step by step and in an organised manner.
Farhad Shamî said that the SDF’s primary goal is to protect the people and the region, adding, “No matter who plans what, our only duty is to ensure the defense of our people.”
Joint Statement by Iran, Russia and Turkey on the International Meeting on Syria in Astana 28-29 November 2018
5. Examined in details the situation in the Idlib de-escalation area and reaffirmed their determination to fully implement the Memorandum on Stabilization of the Situation in the Idlib De-escalation Area of 17 September 2018. In this regard they expressed their concern with the ongoing violations of the ceasefire regime, and declared that, as guarantors of the ceasefire regime, they would step up their efforts to ensure observance with it, including by enhacing work of the Joint Iranian-Russian-Turkish Coordination Center. They stressed the importance of a lasting ceasefire while underlining the necessity to continue effective fight against terrorism. They also emphasized that under no circumstances the creation of the above-mentioned de-escalation area should undermine the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic;