Türkiye and Syria to Develop Common Road Map for Syrian Army Enhancement

Türkiye and Syria have agreed to establish a joint road map aimed at strengthening the Syrian army's capacity, the Turkish Defense Ministry 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,” defense ministry sources stated on Feb. 6.

First Official Talks Following Assad's Ouster

Al-Sharaa’s visit to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan marks his first trip to Ankara since being appointed interim president. His government took control after opposition forces, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), toppled Bashar al-Assad's regime in December following a two-week military offensive. During the meeting, Erdoğan and al-Sharaa discussed the political transition in Syria and Türkiye’s ongoing support for Syria’s reconstruction—including military assistance to enhance the new administration’s defense capabilities. A Turkish Defense Ministry delegation also visited Damascus in late January to explore potential areas of cooperation in this regard.

Türkiye Dismisses Military Base Speculations

Responding to media speculation about Türkiye building a new military base in Syria, defense ministry sources emphasized that Türkiye’s primary objectives remain:

• Preserving Syria’s territorial integrity
• Ensuring stability in the region
• Eliminating terrorist threats, particularly from the YPG and ISIL

“It will be better to approach such media reports cautiously and understand their content in a better way. It is too early to talk on such issues,” the sources stated.

Türkiye’s Commitment to Syrian Stability

Reaffirming Türkiye’s support for Syria’s stabilization efforts, defense officials underscored their readiness to provide assistance within their scope of responsibility. “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 concluded.