NEW: EU courts Turkey as it overlooks Imamoglu's arrest • Brussels is prioritising security cooperation with Ankara over concerns about democratic backsliding and crackdowns on the opposition Comments by Özgür Ünlühisarcıklı, Samuel Doveri Vesterbye, Marc Pierini middleeasteye.net/news/eu-courts…

I told AL-Monitor that “Erdogan’s original plan in Syria “hinged on a quiet deal between the SDF and Damascus that would see Kurdish fighters folded into the Syrian army, and a Druze-style (de-facto) limited autonomy would follow. This would let Erdogan claim that the militia was

A lengthy paper by Ragıp Soylu (Ragıp Soylu) on Turkey's foreign policy in the South Caucasus (with a focus on vital energy and trade corridors), particularly its interactions with the powers in the region : the EU, Iran, Russia and the USA. cats-network.eu/publication/tu…

The Turkish parliament holds its first inter-party commission meeting today on ending the decades-long conflict with the PKK. The meeting with 48 MPs is chaired by Parliamentary Speaker Numan Kurtulmus and comes after an initial group of PKK fighters began disarming last month.

In its effort to eliminate Russian gas imports, the EU wants to understand how and where Moscow’s gas is getting into the bloc. To do that, the EU will likely need information from key transit countries like Turkey. But Ankara isn’t interested. 🔗 ow.ly/zE7a50WBS9H

NEW: US, Turkish 30-day ultimatum to SDF to integrate with Damascus soon is ending • Turkey has made military preparations to support a limited Syrian op against the SDF, sources say • US Envoy Barrack asked for more time from Ankara middleeasteye.net/news/turkey-wa…

Signals a (Turkey-backed) Syrian military strike against SDF -now- refusing to dissolve. If the SDF doesn't dissolve, the PKK won't, an unacceptable outcome to Ankara given how much it has invested in PKK's end. At this stage, it's either SDF's dissolution or a Turkish operation.

I doubt it—too risky for Ankara, too risky for Damascus, unacceptable to Washington, and above all, it solves no one’s problems.

Turkish police have detained Inan Gunay, the CHP mayor of Istanbul's key district Beyoglu, along with some 40 other officials. Municipalities controlled by the opposition CHP have faced waves of arrests this year, beginning with the targeting of Istanbul Mayor Imamoglu in March.

The number of Syrians who returned from Turkey since the fall of the Syrian regime has reached 411,649, placing the total number of returnees since 2016 at 1,151,652. 2,543,711 Syrians under temporary protection remain in Turkey. aa.com.tr/tr/gundem/suri…

Mete Tuncay, famed Turkish academic who is known for his studies on socialist and leftist political currents in the late Ottoman Period and early Republic, has passed away. He was one of the greatest historians in the country. RIP

2.5 years after the Feb. 6 quakes, residents of the affected areas are still waiting for permanent housing. Though some appreciate the services in their camps, a feeling of abandonment is growing in some communities. Anna Montraveta Riu and Laia Palau Biel report: turkeyrecap.com/p/between-cont…

Court annuls CHP İstanbul congress, removes provincial leadership in critical verdict The main opposition party is also facing annulment of its national congress held in Nov 2023, which could affect the position of the current party leader. bianet.org/haber/court-an…

The move puts tremendous pressure on Turkey’s opposition & is widely seen as an attempt to redesign the party. Comes after Turkish authorities jailed Istanbul mayor and Erdogan’s top political rival Ekrem Imamoglu on corruption charges & detained other local CHP mayors.

Lots of rightful commentary about how this could be a precursor for the much-anticipated court decision on Sept. 15 when CHP leader Ozgur Ozel might be ousted by a judge and the party's former leader Kilicdaroglu, who lost God-knows-how-many-elections, may be reinstalled

Life of an opposition politician in Turkey: Left: Istanbul’s elected mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, presidential hopeful, jailed Middle: CHP leader Özgür Özel, may be removed from post by a court soon Right: CHP Istanbul head Özgür Çelik, removed from post by court ruling today

CHP is trying something smart to reinstate Ozel if court removes him on Sep 15. Vast majority of the party delegates called for an emergency convention later this month. And per election watchdog decisions, convention has to take place which could elect Ozel once again.

Turkey narrowly misses first world title in women's volleyball after five-set loss to Italy bianet.org/haber/turkey-n…

Explainer: Why is Turkey's main opposition party facing a year-long legal crackdown? reuters.com/world/middle-e…

İmamoğlu stands trial in first hearing of diploma case hry.yt/1qD