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Syria is planning to lease a strip of territory extending up to 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) inside its northern border to Türkiye for 100 years for the establishment of industrial facilities, according to a Saturday report by Beirut-based news outlet Al-Modon.
Al-Modon, citing a source familiar with the matter, said the proposed project would involve establishing factories in the border area and creating employment opportunities for Syrian refugees returning to the country.
The report did not specify the precise location or overall size of the area, nor did it provide details on the legal framework, administration or terms of the reported long-term lease.
There has been no public announcement from the Syrian or Turkish governments confirming such a 100-year arrangement.
A separate source cited by Al-Modon said plans to establish Turkish factories had raised concerns among Syrian manufacturers, who could face difficulty competing with Turkish producers because of differences in production capacity and costs.
Al-Modon separately reported that the Syrian government plans to relocate a number of ministries from Damascus to other provinces for security and political reasons.
A political source told the outlet that the government intends to publicly present the move as part of efforts toward decentralization and to ease administrative and population pressure on the capital.
The source linked the proposal to concerns over potential military and security threats against Damascus, arguing that distributing government institutions across different provinces could reduce dependence on a single administrative center.
No official announcement has been made identifying which ministries could be relocated or which cities would receive them.
The report comes amid expanding industrial and economic cooperation between Türkiye and Syria.
The administration of the Bab al-Hawa Industrial City in northern Idlib signed an agreement with Turkish company iSRA in August to develop and expand the industrial zone.
The agreement, signed in the presence of Syrian Deputy Economy and Industry Minister Basil Abdulhannan and Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat, aims to create about 2,000 industrial investment opportunities and establish a cross-border Syrian-Turkish industrial partnership.
Syria's state news agency SANA said in September that Bab al-Hawa Industrial City covers about 51 hectares and is located close to the border crossing with Türkiye.
An investment contract there includes more than 242,000 square meters of serviced industrial plots equipped with water, electricity and wastewater infrastructure.
Syrian authorities have also been working to expand or rehabilitate industrial areas in Adra, Hassia, Sheikh Najjar, al-Rai and Deir Ezzor as part of broader efforts to attract investment and revive domestic production.
The publicly announced projects, however, have not included any reference to a 100-year lease of Syrian territory to Türkiye.
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