Turkey in January 2026: the most important developments in security
In Turkey in January 2026, security news centered on northern Syria and Iran. Turkey's main concern was the fighting between the Syrian army and the PKK/YPG, which Turkey designates as terrorists, and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). In Aleppo the Syrian army took a district on 7 January, Syria announced a ceasefire on 9 January, and the army stopped operations on 10 January. On 16 January the Syrian military launched an operation against the SDF in northern Syria after President al-Sharaa signed a decree affirming Kurdish rights, and Kurdish-led forces announced a withdrawal from a contested area in Aleppo province. US officials were reportedly worried about a Turkish-backed Syrian expansion against Kurdish groups. On 19 January Kurdish forces said Turkish drones had struck Hasaka, and Turkey denied it. Turkey was also reported to be deploying radar in Syria that could limit Israeli air operations. The government's push for a terror-free country requires the full disarmament of the PKK before legal steps on Kurdish political rights.
On Iran, Turkey arrested six people suspected of spying for Iran, with a NATO-run air base as the alleged target. Reports said Turkey plans to reinforce its border security in the event of a US attack on Iran, and a top Turkish diplomat said Israel would target Iran's military capabilities in any such attack.
Other items included security protocols on a Turkish Airlines flight to Barcelona after a bomb threat on 15 January, a preliminary report saying the plane of Libya's top general was intact before it crashed near Ankara, and the Turkish vice president's statement that Turkish troops ensure stability in Cyprus.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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