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ALEPPO SEES DANGEROUS MILITARY ESCALATION AMID STALLED DAMASCUS-SDF TALKS
Foreign Affairs Jan 8, 2026

ALEPPO SEES DANGEROUS MILITARY ESCALATION AMID STALLED DAMASCUS-SDF TALKS

A dangerous escalation has erupted between Damascus forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in two strategically important neighborhoods of Syria’s northern city of Aleppo. As clashes intensified, evacuation notices, issued Dec. 8. by Syria’s central government in the two key districts, have raised the possibility of a military operation. Simultaneously, the Defense Ministry said that Turkey would support an expected Syrian army operation in Aleppo “if requested.”

Editorial Team
FROM NEWSROOMS TO FOOTBALL CLUBS, TURKEY’S DRUG PROBE WIDENS
Deep Dive Jan 2, 2026

FROM NEWSROOMS TO FOOTBALL CLUBS, TURKEY’S DRUG PROBE WIDENS

The drug-using operation that started with artists in October, then extended to sports, media, business and politics, continues with the unlawful sharing of private conversations and denials of drug use despite forensic reports. The names of some prosecutors, politicians and advisers appeared in the investigation early on, yet media coverage has so far remained silent about them.

Editorial Team
CHP SHADOW CABINET UNDER FIRE FOR MIRRORING AKP'S MODEL
Inside Turkey Dec 19, 2025

CHP SHADOW CABINET UNDER FIRE FOR MIRRORING AKP'S MODEL

The CHP has unveiled its new shadow cabinet, touting it as the team that would govern Turkey if elected. However, the lineup has sparked backlash from left-wing critics over the dominance of business figures and center-right politicians occupying key posts. Despite advocating a return to the parliamentary system — where the executive is known as the Council of Ministers and members are elected, not appointed — the CHP has mirrored the presidential model by labeling its team a “cabinet” and appointing shadow cabinet members who are business figures active in the very sectors they oversee.

Editorial Team
TURKISH PARTIES AGREE ON GOAL — BUT NOT ON ROADMAP
Inside Turkey Dec 19, 2025

TURKISH PARTIES AGREE ON GOAL — BUT NOT ON ROADMAP

As the Peace Commission moves toward drafting its final document — and as legislation looms on the horizon — the key question is whether parliament can transform overlapping objectives into a shared roadmap, or whether the process will once again stall at the fault line between security-first sequencing and demands for democratic and political normalization.

Editorial Team
REVISING THE PRESIDENCY: AKP’S NEW CONSTITUTION GAMBLE
Capital Currents Dec 18, 2025

REVISING THE PRESIDENCY: AKP’S NEW CONSTITUTION GAMBLE

The new civil constitution that the AKP has been calling for since the 2023 elections is set to become one of the key issues in the new year. Revising the presidential system, addressing the needs of a new peace process, and — inevitably — paving the way for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s renewed candidacy are the main pillars of this process. But any such changes would first require consensus within the party, and then support from the opposition.

Nergis Demirkaya
S-400 DECISION LOOMS IN U.S.-TURKEY DEFENSE RESET
Security and Defense Dec 12, 2025

S-400 DECISION LOOMS IN U.S.-TURKEY DEFENSE RESET

U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack said that the United States is close to lifting restrictions imposed on Turkey since 2017 after Turkey purchased S-400 systems from Russia. However, the conditions under which the sanctions will be lifted remain unclear.

Editorial Team