After it began an air campaign against the so-called Islamic State, Turkey called a meeting of the 27 allies to raise the possibility of a need for NATO involvement.
They protested against the Assad regime in 2011, hoping for democracy. Now they're in exile, fighting extremists for their country's future and trying to provide a lifeline for others back in Syria.
Ankara has okayed allied airstrikes from its airbase near Syria against the self-declared Islamic State. State-run television also says Turkish warplanes have carried out air strikes.
The battle began with one or more car bombs set off inside the Syrian city. There are unconfirmed reports that Islamic State fighters hid themselves among refugees flooding into Kobani.
The mere mention of Syrian refugees can conjure up images of families living in tents in the desert. But a bookstore in Istanbul serves as a cultural oasis and informal community center for Syrians.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's governing Justice and Development Party was hoping to secure a big majority, but instead may be forced to share power with its rival.
Many Armenian Christians were slaughtered by the Ottomans a century ago, but some survivors were taken in by Muslim families. A growing number are now reclaiming their Armenian heritage.
The clash at Gallipoli was one of the most memorable fights of World War I — and one of the most consequential. Its reverberations are still felt to this day in the chaotic Middle East.
The war has put dreams of college on hold for some 40,000 Syrian refugees in Turkey. Enver Yucel hopes to create a higher ed system to meet their needs, with coursework in English, Arabic and Turkish.