Turkey’s military engagement in Northern Iraq, a never-ending story

In the night of Tuesday the 2nd of February, Turkey conducted air raids in Northern Iraq and Syria against the PKK and the PYD-YPG, in the “regions of Derik, Sinjar and mount Karacak”, that signed off the start of the lightning operation Kış Kartal , according to the minister of Turkish Defense. If its scale and precision was particularly noteworthy, it is but another operation part of this “discreet war” against the PKK’s rear bases.

The Iraqi Kurdistan, from the fiasco to its rebirth?

In a 2019 issue of Foreign Affairs, Henry Barkey devoted a study to what he called the “Kurdish awakening”. In his view, most of the elements necessary for a unified Kurdish state in the Middle East had been established.

Visit of the Turkish Foreign Affairs minister to Baghdad and Erbil: Hakan Fidan puts Iraq under pressure

Jean Marcou, a Professor at Sciences-Po Grenoble-UGA and an associate researcher at CFRI, explains the reasons behind the Turkish FM Hakan Fidan's trip to Iraq and the demands expressed by Istanbul, as Recep Tayyip Erdoğan seeks to open a new diplomatic and economic era—two fronts on which Turkey encounters difficulties.

War in Gaza: Erdoğan’s shift from Cautiousness to Offensive

Specialised in strategic change in the Mediterranean and the Middle East, Jean Marcou revisits the stance of Turkish diplomacy on Israel, analysing its response to the events of October 7 and the ongoing war in Gaza.

Defeat of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the AKP in local elections in Turkey: the start of a new era?

For the CFRI, Jean Marcou analyses Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s and the AKP s defeat in local elections in Turkey, marking a new political landscape at a time when their power is in decline due to economic difficulties, authoritarian tendencies and a polarising foreign policy.

Thirteen years later, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Iraq for better or for worse

Jean Marcou reviews the key issues in Turkish-Iraqi relations following Recep Tayyip Erdoğan s recent visit to Iraq.

Visit of the President of the Kurdish Regional Government of Iraq, Nechirvan Barzani, to Ankara Amid a Complex Political and Strategic Context

In this article, Jean Marcou analyses Nechirvan Barzani s visit to Ankara within a complex political context marked by the Gaza war and ongoing Turkish military operations against the PKK. He explores the implications of this visit for the relationship between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) of Iraq and Turkey, as well as the approach to the upcoming legislative elections in the Iraqi Kurdistan region, highlighting the power dynamics among major parties and their impact on relations with Baghdad.

Turkey and the Return of Trump

The return of Donald Trump to the presidency raises cautious expectations in Turkey. While Ankara hopes to benefit from his aspirations to de-escalate conflicts, particularly in Ukraine, tensions remain over issues such as U.S. support for Syrian Kurds and the Palestinian question. The appointment of individuals hostile to Turkey within his administration fuels concerns, despite opportunities presented by recent regional upheavals.