Turkish involvement in the Syrian Civil War

Turkey has deported nearly 9,000 foreign terrorists so far, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told the Group of 20 Summit on Nov. 22.

"Although we were left alone, we have nabbed nearly 9,000 foreign terrorist fighters and sent them back to their countries," Erdoğan said at the virtually organized summit.

Turkey is fully focused on protecting its rights in the Eastern Mediterranean, Libya, and the Aegean, the nation's president said on Aug. 15.

Turkey is also focused on stopping terrorist groups in Syria and northern Iraq, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in Rize on the Turkish Black Sea, speaking to the public and local members of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Turkey's defense industry body on Aug. 11 said Ankara was determined to continue its policies to ensure that the Turkish defense industry operates fully independently.

Turkey continues to block NATO defense plans for Poland and Baltic states despite a deal in London last year between Turkey's president and allied leaders, three allied diplomats and a French defense official said on Wednesday.

Diplomats said while Ankara has approved the plan, known as Eagle Defender, it has not allowed NATO military chiefs to put it into action.

Turkey, Iran, and Russia aim to hold an Astana summit via videoconference as soon as possible in order to take the necessary steps for lasting peace in Syria, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on June 15.

Turkish police detained eight Iraqi nationals over suspected links to the ISIL terror group, security sources said on June 15.

The detentions were made in Turkey's capital Ankara early on June 15  as part of an operation against the terror group, said the sources who spoke on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the press.

A Turkish soldier, who was injured in Syria's northwestern Idlib in April, succumbed to his injuries, the National Defense Ministry said on June 7. 

The ministry said the soldier was injured during Turkey's Operation Peace Spring and offered condolences to the family of the killed soldier, the Turkish Armed Forces and the Turkish nation.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on June 5 said that Turkish soldiers are approaching the "targeted plans" in Libya during the struggle they are leading with their "Libyan brothers.

Turkey will continue protecting its rights and interests in the Mediterranean without any compromise, the country's National Security Council said on June 2. 

Turkish security forces have so far "neutralized" a total of 1,458 terrorists in cross-border operations since the beginning of this year, the defense minister said on May 25.