Units of the Syrian army begin their training in Türkiye
The Turkish Ministry of Defense announced the start of a joint training program involving units of the new Syrian army inside Turkish barracks, using Turkish-made weapons, within the framework of the military cooperation agreement signed between the two countries to enhance Syria’s defense and security capabilities.
During a press conference held today, October 30, Turkish Defense Ministry spokesman Zeki Aktürk said that cooperation between the two sides is developing rapidly, noting that 49 Syrian students will begin their studies in Turkish military academies, October 31, as part of the new training program.
Aktürk added, in statements that some Syrian army units have already begun conducting military exercises in Turkish army training facilities, in response to requests from the Syrian government aimed at raising the efficiency of its army in the areas of building defense capabilities.
On October 22, Syrian Defense Minister Major General Murhaf Abu Qasra announced the dispatch of a batch of Syrian officer cadets to military colleges in Türkiye and Saudi Arabia, as part of a plan to enhance academic and military cooperation between the three countries.
The press office of the Syrian Ministry of Defense explained that the ministry is working on preparing an integrated plan to send training missions to a number of friendly countries, aimed at raising the efficiency of Syrian officers and providing them with modern technical and administrative expertise, within the framework of the ministry’s vision to build a modern professional army capable of keeping pace with field and technological developments.
This mission is the first of its kind since the resumption of diplomatic relations between Damascus, Ankara and Riyadh, following the fall of the former Syrian regime on December 8, 2014.
This step came after the Syrian and Turkish Ministries of Defense signed a military cooperation agreement aimed at developing the combat and organizational capabilities of the Syrian army through advanced training and technical consulting programs.
The agreement was signed during an official visit by a high-level Syrian delegation that included Foreign Minister Asaad al Shaibani, Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra, and Intelligence Chief Hussein Salameh, who met with Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler on August 13.
According to a statement from the Turkish Ministry of Defense, the two sides discussed regional security and defense issues during the meeting, before signing a joint memorandum of understanding for military training.
For its part, the Syrian News Agency (SANA) confirmed that the agreement includes multiple areas of cooperation, most notably: Military personnel exchanged to participate in specialized training courses, and to raise the level of operational readiness.
Quality training programs in counter-terrorism, mine clearance, cyber defense, military engineering, logistics, and peacekeeping operations.
Technical and technological assistance includes sending Turkish experts to contribute to modernizing the Syrian army’s systems and developing its organizational structures and command and control capabilities.
SANA indicated that the aim of these programs is to prepare a professional Syrian army in accordance with international standards, and to reduce violations that may result from poor training or poor military discipline.
In a related context, Bloomberg reported on October 17 that Ankara intends to supply the Syrian army with modern military equipment, including armored vehicles, drones, artillery, missiles, and air defense systems in the coming weeks.
Bloomberg quoted Turkish officials – who preferred not to be named – as saying that this equipment will be deployed in northern Syria to avoid any friction with Israel in the southwest, explaining that the move comes within the framework of understandings with the Syrian transitional government headed by Ahmed al Sharaa, to support the process of rebuilding the Syrian army after the heavy losses it suffered during the last war with Israel.
According to the report, Ankara aims, through this move, to strengthen its security and military influence in Syria, while at the same time supporting the new Syrian government in its efforts to unify the country.
Turkish sources have also expressed concern about the growing influence of the Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeastern Syria, which includes the US-backed Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara considers an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
According to the agency, Türkiye and Damascus are seeking to expand the security agreement that has been in place for about 30 years, which allows Ankara to carry out limited military operations against Kurdish armed groups along the Syrian border.
