Since Turkey is an important part of SFG’s various activities in the Middle-East, SFG research analysts Ipshita Chaturvedi and Devaki Erande visited Istanbul, Turkey from July 20^th 2015 to July 25^th 2015 to interact with journalists and media persons in the country. They met senior editors at newspapers, broadcasters in news television, independent documentary-makers and online news publishers at organisations such as Haberturk, Vatan, Milliyet, Daily Sabah and Bianet. Most media leaders showed a keen interest in the Blue Peace Process and the Blue Peace Media Network.  

While SFG was visiting Istanbul, an ISIL suicide bomber killed 30 people, mostly students in the town of Suruc in Turkey. In the same week, Turkey responded by launching air strikes against IS targets in Syria for the first time while also simultaneously bombing the Kurdish PKK group in northern Iraq. SFG analysts discussed this complex political situation with reporters to understand how these developments would affect Turkey’s political future.