Latest Turkey government News

Turkey removes two more pro-Kurdish mayors from office for links to banned group

Nov. 22, 2024 14:02 PM EST

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey on Friday ousted two more elected pro-Kurdish mayors from office and replaced them with state-appointed administrators, citing terrorism-related charges against them. With their ouster, the number of elected mayors that have been sacked since October...

Greek and Turkish coast guards aim to boost cooperation against migrant smuggling

Nov. 13, 2024 13:22 PM EST

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Senior Greek and Turkish coast guard officials have agreed to boost cooperation in restricting one of the main illegal migration routes into Europe, authorities said Wednesday. A Greek coast guard statement said Tuesday's meeting on Greece's eastern Aegean Sea...

Turkey's Erdogan says he remains hopeful about reconciliation with Syria

Nov. 13, 2024 10:31 AM EST

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said he remains hopeful that a reconciliation with Syrian President Bashar Assad can be achieved to end more than a decade of tensions between their two neighboring countries, state-run media reported on Wednesday. ...

Middle East latest: Israeli defense minister officially steps down

Nov. 08, 2024 20:12 PM EST

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant officially stepped down Friday in a ceremony that replaced him with Israel Katz, the former foreign minister, just three days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired Gallant, sparking protests. Many in Israel view Gallant as the sole...

Ex-aide to NYC Mayor Eric Adams in plea discussions with federal prosecutors

Nov. 08, 2024 16:27 PM EST

NEW YORK (AP) — A former aide to New York City Mayor Eric Adams is discussing a possible plea deal with federal prosecutors following his arrest last month on charges of witness tampering and destroying evidence, court papers show. Mohamed Bahi, who served as City Hall’s chief...

Greece cites new trust of Turkey as the neighbors seek to ease tensions

Nov. 07, 2024 09:28 AM EST

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece’s foreign minister said Thursday that his country has established a foundation of trust with Turkey, ahead of a visit to Athens by the Turkish foreign minister as the two neighbors try to ease tensions. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will meet...

4 dead, 25 survivors in Greece after migrant smuggler allegedly forced his passengers overboard

Nov. 06, 2024 09:36 AM EST

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek authorities have recovered the bodies of four people from the sea just off the coast of the eastern Aegean island of Rhodes, while another 25 people have been found alive on land after a migrant smuggler allegedly forced his passengers overboard while transferring them...

Hundreds in Turkey protest the arrest and ouster of opposition mayor

Oct. 31, 2024 13:27 PM EDT

ISTANBUL (AP) — Hundreds gathered Thursday in Istanbul to protest against the arrest and removal from office of a mayor from Turkey's main opposition party for his alleged links to a banned Kurdish militant group. Ahmet Ozer, mayor of Istanbul’s Esenyurt district and a member of...

Mayor from Turkey's main opposition party is detained over alleged ties to Kurdish militants

Oct. 30, 2024 09:59 AM EDT

ISTANBUL (AP) — A mayor from Turkey’s main opposition party was detained Wednesday on suspicion of being a member of a banned Kurdish militant group, state-run media reported. Ahmet Ozer, mayor of Istanbul’s Esenyurt district and a member of the Republican People’s Party, or...

Kurdish leader in Syria calls for diplomatic solutions to conflict with Turkey

Oct. 29, 2024 17:32 PM EDT

QAMISHLI, Syria (AP) — The leader of the U.S.-backed Kurdish forces in northeast Syria in an interview with The Associated Press called for international mediators to continue pushing for diplomatic solutions to the complex web of conflicts in the Middle Eastern country, including the escalating...