Rappler's latest stories on Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Pope Francis 'very distressed' over Turkey's Hagia Sophia conversion to mosque
This is the Vatican's first reaction to Turkey's decision that has drawn international criticism

Turkey passes controversial 'nightwatchmen' bill
The new law gives 'nightwatchmen,' who walk the streets at night to report burglaries and disturbances, almost the same powers as police

Erdogan refuses minister's resignation over Turkey lockdown chaos
Suleyman Soylu is fiercely criticized after the 48-hour shutdown to counter the spread of the coronavirus was announced Friday night with just two hours' notice

Erdogan vows to keep border open for refugees until EU meets all demands
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he opened the gates in order to pressure Europe into providing greater assistance with the Syrian conflict

Erdogan tells Turkish Coast Guard to stop migrants crossing Aegean
The instruction comes after Erdogan said that refugees and migrants would not be prevented by Turkish authorities from leaving Turkey if that was their wish

Rare calm in Syria's Idlib after ceasefire deal
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group and AFP correspondents in Idlib province say the truce that came into force at midnight appears to be holding

Putin, Erdogan agree to ceasefire in Syria's Idlib
(4th UPDATE) 'The object is to avoid the humanitarian crisis getting worse,' Erdogan says, though he adds that Turkey reserves the right to 'retaliate with all its strength against any attack' by Damascus

Clashes as migrants seek to break through Turkey-Greece border
The clashes came as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issues a fresh call to Europe to support the country with a new influx of migrants that have amassed along the Greek border

Erdogan threatens Europe with 'millions' of migrants
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hopes to reach a deal on a ceasefire in Syria when he meets his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin following intense fighting in the last rebel holdout of Idlib

Turkey says pursuing military operation against Syrian regime
Though Turkey has reported striking targets in Syria since dozens of its troops were killed there, it is the first confirmation of a full and continuing operation

Turkey-Russia tensions soar after deadly Syria strike
Both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan appear keen to scale down the tensions, expressing 'serious concern' about the situation in their telephone talks
Russia warns Turkey, blocks U.N. bid to end Syria bloodshed
Syrian aid workers call urgently for a ceasefire and international help for nearly a million people fleeing the regime onslaught

Russia warns against Turkey operation in Syria
(UPDATED) President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to launch an operation in Idlib by the end of the month if Damascus fails to withdraw its troops behind Turkish military positions

Trump calls for Russia to stop backing Syrian 'atrocities'
A Russian-backed offensive has triggered the largest wave of displacement in Syria's civil war, with 800,000 people fleeing since December, the United Nations says

Turkey, Russia trade accusations as Syria tensions rise
(UPDATED) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatens to strike Syrian regime forces 'everywhere' if his soldiers come under renewed attack

Erdogan urges Russia to 'assume its obligations' in Syria's Idlib
Turkey, which already hosts more than 3.7 million Syrians, fears a further influx of refugees fleeing violence in Idlib

Europe will face terror threat if Tripoli govt falls – Erdogan
World powers are trying to mediate a lasting ceasefire at the international conference in Berlin
France, Egypt urge 'restraint' to avoid Libya escalation
The statement comes after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed readiness this month to send troops to Libya if requested by the country's Government of National Accord

Erdogan says parliament to vote in January on Libya troop deployment
'We will present the motion to send troops (to Libya) as soon as parliament resumes' on January 7, Erdogan says in a speech in Ankara

Trump ignores controversy to host Turkey's Erdogan
On the day the impeachment process shifts to public hearings in Congress, Trump's meeting and joint press conference with Erdogan at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue promises extra fireworks

Turkey begins joint patrols with Russia in northern Syria
The soldiers head to the east of Derbasiyeh in a convoy of Turkish and Russian military vehicles to patrol a strip of territory several dozen kilometers long, according to Turkish military sources

Syria's Assad says he does not want Turkey as an 'enemy'
However the Syrian president says that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan himself was an 'enemy' due to policies hostile to Syria

Erdogan warns Syria offensive will resume unless Kurds complete withdrawal
'If the promises given to our country by the United States are not kept, we will continue our operation from where we left off with greater determination,' Erdogan says

Erdogan vows to 'crush the heads' of Kurdish forces if no pullout
(UPDATED) 'If the promises given to our country are not kept, as we did in the past we will not wait and restart the operation as soon as the time we have given ends,' says Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Turkey-led strikes kill 14 civilians in northeast Syria
Syrian Democratic Forces spokesman Mustefa Bali says Turkey is clearly violating the terms of the agreement reached during a visit to Ankara by US Vice President Mike Pence

Turkey, U.S. agree on Syria ceasefire to force Kurdish fighters' withdrawal
The agreement for the 120-hour pause eases what escalated into an unprecedented crisis between the United States and Turkey, but critics quickly accused President Donald Trump of again abandoning Kurdish allies

Turkey defiant on Syria operation as U.S. demands ceasefire
(UPDATED) The operation, now in its second week, triggers flurry of diplomacy among major powers

Putin invites Erdogan to Russia amid Syria offensive – Kremlin
Putin invited Erdogan 'for a working visit in the coming days. The invitation was accepted,' Putin's office says in a statement on October 15

Erdogan says Turkey 'can never declare ceasefire' in north Syria
US President Donald Trump says, Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to Ankara to press Turkey to halt its offensive against Syrian Kurdish fighters

Erdogan vows no ISIS fighters will escape Syria
'We will ensure that no ISIS (Islamic State) fighters leave northeastern Syria,' Erdogan writes in the Wall Street Journal

Erdogan threatens EU with refugee influx if criticizes Syria operation
Turkey currently hosts 3.6 million refugees from the eight-year conflict in Syria – the highest number in the world

Turkey faces U.S. 'sanctions from hell' after Syria Kurd assault
Lindsey Graham, a senior US Republican senator who is usually a steadfast supporter of Donald Trump, warns Turkey of 'sanctions from hell'

Erdogan hosts Putin, Rouhani for Syria summit
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will host Presidents Vladimir Putin and Hassan Rouhani in Ankara for the latest summit on the Syrian conflict

Putin, Erdogan meet in Moscow with focus on Syria
The meeting comes ahead of a September 16 summit in Ankara that will bring together the main foreign players in Syria's conflict – Putin, Erdogan and Iran's President Hassan Rouhani

Assad regime forces mass in northwest Syria – monitor
Russian-backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces gather north of the key town of Khan Sheikhun in a bid to take more territory from Turkish-backed rebels
Putin, Erdogan to 'activate' cooperation on Syria – Kremlin
Turkey and Russia back opposing sides in the Syrian conflict but have worked closely, along with Iran, to find a political solution for Syria

'It's a problem': Trump tells Erdogan on Russia missile deal
Turkey remains committed to the purchase, with Erdogan saying earlier this month: 'We have completed the business'
Erdogan's party loses rerun of Istanbul mayor election
With some 99% of ballots counted by Sunday night, Ekrem Imamoglu is winning by more than 775,000 votes – 54%, with Yildirim on 45%, the Anadolu state news agency reports

Erdogan says Egyptian ex-president Morsi was 'killed'
'Morsi was struggling on the floor in the courtroom for 20 minutes. Authorities unfortunately did not intervene to save him,' says Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Turkish election body sticks to disputed Istanbul rerun decision
The election board has voided the opposition Republican People's Party narrow victory in Turkey's biggest city and economic hub Istanbul and ordered a replay of the vote

Erdogan welcomes controversial rerun of Istanbul vote
The loss of Istanbul, the country's economic hub, was a shocking defeat for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling party

Erdogan calls for Istanbul vote to be re-run
Refusing to concede the Istanbul result, Erdogan denounces 'massive irregularities'

Istanbul police open probes over vote 'irregularities'
More than 100 election officials have been summoned as part of the inquiries across 3 districts in Turkey's biggest city, according to state news agency Anadolu

Erdogan slams Macron over 'Armenia genocide' remembrance
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's remarks come after France held its first 'national day of commemoration of the Armenian genocide'

Turkey opposition win in disputed Istanbul vote confirmed – party
The loss of the capital Ankara and Istanbul to the Republican People's Party is a major setback for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's ruling AKP after a decade and a half in power

Erdogan's party to seek rerun of Istanbul election
Officials at the Supreme Electoral Council will decide whether the ruling party has a case

Turkey's Erdogan sees 'theft' in Istanbul vote results
(UPDATED) The AKP demands a recount in Ankara and Istanbul, citing irregularities after tallies show the party is defeated in both cities in what would be a major setback in a decade and a half in power

Australian PM slams Erdogan for 'reckless', 'vile' Christchurch comments
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison condemns 'reckless' and 'highly offensive' comments made by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey in the wake of the Christchurch massacre

Erdogan and Netanyahu trade 'tyrant,' 'dictator' insults
Turkey and Israel have tense relations and Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who regards himself as a champion of the Palestinian cause, is a vocal critic of Israeli policies

Turkey tumbles into recession as polls loom
The flagging economy coupled with a currency crisis last year are sensitive issues for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party before the vote on March 31
