Since the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in December, Turkey has become a key regional ally of Syria’s new government. While it once supported rebels fighting the Assad regime, Ankara now pledges to assist in Syria’s reconstruction and to facilitate the return of millions of refugees—most of whom are currently in Turkey.
In a written interview with Reuters today (Wednesday), Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler stated that Turkey has begun providing training and advisory support to Syria’s new army and is working to strengthen the country’s defenses. Güler said the military assistance includes measures to enhance Syria’s defensive capabilities but declined to give specific details.
Efforts to Avoid Friction with Israel
Güler confirmed that Turkey and Israel are holding technical discussions to establish a deconfliction mechanism in Syrian territory. The goal is to prevent unintended incidents or direct confrontations between their forces. He emphasized that the talks are focused on communication and coordination but should not be seen as a normalization process between the two countries.
According to Güler, Turkey currently has no intention of withdrawing or relocating its military forces from Syria. More than 20,000 Turkish soldiers are still deployed across Syrian territory.
He stressed that Turkey would only consider pulling out if several conditions are met: the achievement of comprehensive peace, the removal of terrorist threats along Turkey’s border, the reinforcement of Syria’s territorial integrity, and the safe return of millions of refugees displaced during the war. Güler noted that this has been Ankara’s consistent position throughout.
