Morning Briefing: Dec. 14, 2025

​​​​​​​By Beril Canakci

ISTANBUL (AA) - Here is a rundown of all the news you need to start your Sunday, including the killing of two US troops and a civilian in an ISIS ambush in Syria; the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan saying peace in Ukraine may be “not far off” after talks with Russia’s Vladimir Putin while signaling possible discussions with US President Donald Trump; and the Bangladeshi army saying six Bangladeshi peacekeepers were killed in an attack on a UN base in southern Sudan.

TOP STORIES

• 2 US troops, civilian killed in ISIS ambush in Syria

Two US troops and a civilian were killed and three other service members were injured in an ambush by an ISIS (Daesh) gunman in Syria, according to US Central Command (CENTCOM).

“On Dec. 13, two US service members and one US civilian were killed, and three service members were injured, as a result of an ambush by a lone ISIS gunman in Syria,” CENTCOM said in a statement on the US social media company X.

“The gunman was engaged and killed,” it added.

• Turkish president says Ukraine peace ‘not far off’ after Putin meeting, signals possible Trump talks

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said further diplomatic engagement could soon follow efforts led by Moscow and Washington, expressing optimism about the prospects for peace in Ukraine after holding talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Speaking to reporters aboard his return flight from Turkmenistan, Erdogan said Ankara hopes to also engage with US President Donald Trump to assess a potential peace plan.

“After this meeting with Putin, we hope to have the opportunity to also discuss the peace plan with US President Trump. Peace is not far off; we can see it,” Erdogan said, referring to his meeting with the Russian leader in Turkmenistan.

• 6 Bangladeshi peacekeepers killed in attack on UN base in southern Sudan: Army

Six Bangladeshi peacekeepers were killed and eight were injured in "a terrorist attack” on a UN base in Sudan, according to the Bangladeshi army.

In a statement on US social media platform Facebook, the army said the incident took place in Abyei and fighting is ongoing.

There was no immediate comment from the UN mission.

The United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) peacekeeping mission was deployed in 2011.

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NEWS IN BRIEF

• President Donald Trump vowed to respond to an alleged ISIS (Daesh) attack in Syria that left two US service members and an American civilian dead, and three service members wounded.
• Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban described the EU’s plan to seize frozen Russian assets as a "declaration of war."
• Russia said a response to the freezing of its assets by the EU will not be delayed.
• The Israeli army claimed two soldiers were wounded in a bomb explosion in the southern Gaza Strip.
• Four Palestinians were killed and others injured in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, marking a new violation of a fragile ceasefire agreement in the enclave, a medical source told Anadolu.
• A senior Communist Party of China official warned against "reviving militarism" on the 12th National Memorial Day to honor the victims of the 1937 Nanjing Massacre.
• Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced a pardon for 123 citizens of various countries sentenced for espionage, terrorism and extremism.
• Dubai set a new world record for the real estate market, with the most expensive penthouse sale in the Middle East at 550 million dirhams ($150 million) at the Bugatti Residences.
• Iran seized an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz and detained the crew for allegedly smuggling fuel, according to media reports.
• German Chancellor Friedrich Merz accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of wanting “to restore the old Soviet Union.”
• The Israeli army ordered residents of a Lebanese town in the south to evacuate ahead of attacks, in the latest violation of a ceasefire agreement in place since November 2024.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• China urges UAE to ‘deepen cooperation’ across traditional, emerging industries, including gas, oil

China urged the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to "deepen cooperation" across traditional sectors, including oil and gas, as well as emerging industries.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is on a three-nation trip to the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, made the remarks during a meeting with UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi, according to a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

• Trump says he believes he should be able to influence Fed interest rate decisions

US President Donald Trump said he believes he should be able to influence interest rate decisions of the next Federal Reserve chairman as he weighs candidates to assume the role.

"I think I certainly should have a role in talking to whoever the head of the Fed is, or the Fed," he told reporters at the White House. "I've done great. I've made a lot of money, very successful. I think my voice should be heard, but I'm not going to make the decision based on that. I'll be making a decision over the next few weeks."