Turkey pledges military assistance and weapons in a defense pact signed with Syria’s interim government
Turkey will support Syria’s interim administration with supplies, training, and weapons in the face of escalating regional unrest and tensions.
On Thursday, Turkish Defense Ministry officials stated that their country and Syria’s interim government had inked a new defense cooperation deal in which Turkey committed to supplying military hardware, munitions, and logistical support.
Ankara’s role in post-war Syria has significantly increased with the signing of the agreement, which was made during a meeting between Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra and Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler. Military training, consulting, and the exchange of operational skills are all covered under the pact.
In the wake of recent sectarian conflicts and Israeli intervention, Syria’s interim government, which was established in December following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, requested Turkish support in bolstering its defense capabilities.
The most recent violent conflict between Bedouin tribesmen, government forces, and Druze minority fighters occurred in Sweida province, highlighting the precarious security situation in the nation.
Officials from Turkey emphasized that the assistance is intended to stabilize Syria and support its reconstruction efforts following over 14 years of a bloody civil war. Rebel groups that Ankara has long supported comprise a large portion of the transitional government.
Hakan Fidan, the foreign minister of Turkey, issued a warning on Wednesday to Israel and Kurdish-led forces to stop their acts that threaten Syria’s precarious stability. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), whom the US supports, were particularly accused by him of postponing a March agreement to integrate into the national army.
The SDF-controlled city of Hassakeh recently hosted a multiethnic conference that demanded a new constitution that acknowledges religious and ethnic plurality as well as a decentralized Syrian state. Some of the guests were accused of having separatist aspirations, and the Syrian government denounced the event. It later withdrew from the Paris negotiations with the SDF, for which a date has not yet been set.
