Türkiye taking steps to increase Syria’s defense capacity: Güler

ANKARA

Türkiye is taking steps to increase Syria’s defense capacity through military-to-military cooperation, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler has said, emphasizing that ongoing deconfliction talks with Israel does not mean normalization.

“We have started providing military training and consultancy services, while taking steps to increase Syria's defense capacity,” Güler said in a statement quoted by local media on June 4.

Türkiye has deployed a military delegation to Damascus for talks with Syrian Defense Minister Major General Murhaf Abu Qasra on Turkish engagement with the new administration on defense and security-related matters.

Türkiye has been the most active supporter of the new administration in Syria after the sudden fall of the Assad regime in December. Along with political and economic backing, Türkiye is also currently supporting Syria to create a national army capable of defending and controlling the entirety of the country.

Preserving Syria’s territorial integrity and unity is among Türkiye’s priorities in Syria while eliminating terrorism, Güler underlined, stressing it was too early to discuss the withdrawal or relocation of the Turkish troops.

This can “only be reevaluated when Syria achieves peace and stability, when the threat of terrorism in the region is fully removed, when our border security is fully ensured, and when the honorable return of people who had to flee is done,” he said.

Türkiye carried out four big cross-border operations into northern Syria between 2016 and 2019 to get rid of the terrorist threat stemming from YPG and ISIL.

The YPG and Damascus have signed a memorandum for the former’s full integration with the new Syrian army but Ankara is accusing the YPG of implementing delay tactics.

 Talks with Israel do not aim for normalization

Another important issue Türkiye is considering as a threat to Syrian stability is Israel’s military operations in the southern parts of the Arab country.

There are also concerns over a potential conflict between Türkiye and Israel as both countries have a military presence in Syrian territories. The two countries are running technical talks to avoid conflict through the mediation of Azerbaijan.

The defense minister described the talks as “technical level meetings to establish a de-confliction mechanism to prevent unwanted events” or direct conflict, as well as “a communication and coordination structure."

“Our efforts to form this line and make it fully operational continue. Yet it should not be forgotten that the deconfliction mechanism is not a normalization,” Güler said.