Turkey to Guide the Reconstruction of Syrian Army, Seeks Military Bases

Turkey will guide the reconstruction of the Syrian army to strengthen military cooperation and mutual defense between the two nations.

According to Yeni Şafak, the new Syrian government aims to build a unified military force to defend the country and combat illegal armed groups.

This week, a Turkish delegation led by Major General İlkay Altındağ met with Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra in Damascus to discuss cooperation.

The delegation assessed Syria's military infrastructure and potential locations for Turkish bases, while Turkey will also assist in repairing and maintaining military equipment inherited from the Assad regime.

Turkey is focusing on strengthening ties with Syria's new government, particularly in military cooperation, aiming to counter the Kurdish PKK and potentially export Turkish weapons, deploy troops, and establish aviation presence.

This will allow Türkiye to gain a relatively reliable ally and maintain military influence in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, Syria's new government terminated a Russian agreement to manage the port of Tartus, a key naval base for Russia. The port, critical for Russian operations in the Mediterranean, will now undergo modernization by Syrian authorities.

This follows the 2024 overthrow of Assad's regime, which led to the temporary withdrawal of Russian ships from Tartus. The port's development, previously expected to expand capacity under Russian investment, remains uncertain.