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A delegation from the Turkish National Defense Ministry paid an official visit to the Syrian capital Damascus on Friday, marking another step in the normalization of defense and security ties between the two neighboring countries.
Led by Lt. Gen. Ilkay Altindag, the ministry’s director general of defense and security, the delegation met with Syrian Defense Minister Maj. Gen. Murhaf Abu Qasra, according to a statement posted on Turkish social media platform NSosyal.
The statement said discussions focused on defense and security cooperation, with both sides addressing regional stability and counterterrorism efforts. Photos of the meeting were also shared on the platform.
Since the ousting of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, Syria’s new government under President Ahmad al-Sharaa has pursued political and economic reforms while promoting social cohesion and regional cooperation. Türkiye has emerged as one of Damascus’ most significant partners in these efforts.
Assad, who ruled Syria for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia last December, ending the Baath Party’s rule that began in 1963. The transitional administration, led by Sharaa, officially took office in January.
The visit comes as Türkiye reportedly prepares to supply military equipment to Syria under a new agreement that would enable Ankara to target the YPG terrorist group, which operates under the name of the SDF along the Syrian border, Bloomberg reported Friday, citing Turkish officials familiar with the matter.
The planned shipments — including armored vehicles, drones, artillery, missiles, and air-defense systems — are expected to be delivered within weeks. The equipment will reportedly be deployed in northern Syria, while Türkiye seeks to avoid escalating tensions with Israel in the southwest.
The SDF, which dominates northern and eastern Syria, is led by the YPG, the Syrian branch of the PKK, a designated terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States, and the European Union.
On March 10, the Syrian presidency announced an agreement to integrate the SDF into state institutions, emphasizing the country’s territorial integrity and rejecting separatism. However, the group has repeatedly violated the agreement, undermining reconciliation efforts, according to officials.
Türkiye reiterated its support for Syria’s unity and sovereignty on Thursday, with the National Defense Ministry stressing the importance of integrating the SDF into the Syrian army as part of broader efforts to restore stability.
At a weekly press briefing in Ankara, ministry spokesperson Zeki Akturk said the Syrian government “continues its diligent efforts toward restructuring all its institutions and bodies, as well as establishing stability and security in the country.”
He added that Türkiye is “enhancing coordination and cooperation with the Syrian Ministry of Defense to strengthen Syria’s security capacity and contribute to regional stability by clearing it of terrorism.”
The latest visit by Turkish defense officials to Damascus underscores Ankara’s expanding role in post-conflict Syria, aligning with its “one state, one army” policy and ongoing efforts to prevent the resurgence of terrorist threats along its southern border.
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