Ankara, Damascus to craft road map for new Syrian army
ANKARA
Türkiye and Syria will set a common road map for the development of the capacity of the latter’s army, the Turkish Defense Ministry has announced following a historic visit by Syria’s interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa to Ankara.
“In line with the demands of the new Syrian government, a common road map will be set, and concrete steps will be taken for the development of the capacity of the Syrian army,” sources from the ministry told reporters on Feb. 6.
The statement comes after al-Sharaa’s first visit to Ankara to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan after he was appointed as the interim president of Syria. The opposition groups led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) toppled Bashar al-Assad rule in early December after a roughly two-week military campaign.
Erdoğan and al-Sharaa exchanged views on the political transition period in Syria and Türkiye’s continued support to its southern neighbor’s reconstruction. Türkiye’s assistance also seeks to enhance the military capacity of the new administration.
A delegation from the Defense Ministry paid a visit to Damascus in late January to discuss what can be done together to this end.
On a question about media allegations that Türkiye will build a new military base in Syria, the defense ministry sources recalled that Türkiye’s priority is the protection of Syria’s territorial integrity, providing stability in the country and elimination of terrorist threats stemming from the presence of YPG and ISIL.
“It will be better to approach cautiously to such media reports and understand its content in a better way. It is too early to talk on such issues,” sources stated.
They added that their current agenda is to set a road map for the development of the capacity of the Syrian army.
“We are lending support to the efforts of the new Syrian government to establish stability and normalize the situation in all parts of Syria. We have informed that we are ready to provide all sorts of support on issues concerning the areas of responsibility of our ministry,” they stated.
“Both sides agree on the elimination of terrorist threats and protection of territorial integrity of Syria."
This issue came to the table during al-Sharaa’s meeting with Erdoğan as well.
“We have taken some very important decisions that will shape our future,” Erdoğan said in a statement this week.
