Bloomberg: Türkiye plans to supply Syria with weapons and seeks a broader agreement on the Kurds
Bloomberg, citing Turkish officials, revealed that Ankara is preparing to supply Syria with military equipment, including armored vehicles, drones, artillery, missiles, and air defense systems, in the coming weeks, in a move aimed at bolstering the Syrian army’s capabilities in the north of the country.
This move comes as part of a broader agreement Türkiye is seeking to conclude with Syria, allowing Ankara to target Kurdish militants deployed along the border between the two countries, expanding the scope of operations from 5 kilometers to 30 kilometers.
This reflects Türkiye’s growing concern about the presence of the US-backed Syria Democratic Forces (SDF), which includes the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), designated a terrorist organization by Türkiye and the West.
According to officials who preferred to remain anonymous, the Turkish military shipments are intended to support Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa, who is leading efforts to unify the country following the ouster of Bashar al Assad and is seeking to rebuild the army, which was severely damaged by Israeli interventions targeting Syria’s military arsenal.
Ankara also focuses on supporting Sharaa in the face of Kurdish demands for autonomy, particularly in border areas, and restricting the Syria Democratic Forces’ access to oil and gas fields, fearing that these resources could be diverted to support the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
These steps coincide with talks between Türkiye and Syria to update a security agreement dating back more than 30 years, which allows Ankara to launch strikes against Kurdish militants near the border.
Through these negotiations, Ankara aims to expand the range of military operations from five kilometers to 30 kilometers inside Syrian territory.
Despite the PKK’s announcement last May of its intention to disarm and dissolve itself, the peace process remains slow, due to ambiguity regarding the details of disarmament and Türkiye’s still unclear demands.
The delay in implementing the agreement signed between the Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Syrian government last March to integrate these forces into the National Army also points to ongoing tensions between Damascus and Kurdish forces, despite some indications of limited progress.
