Damascus and Ankara review Adana agreement
Turkish press reports indicate that Ankara and Damascus have entered a new phase of military and security cooperation, based on the review of the historic Adana Agreement and the restructuring of the Turkish military presence in Syrian territory.
The Adana Agreement dates back to 1998, and was signed at a time when Turkish-Syrian relations were strained by Damascus’s support for the PKK.
The agreement was designed primarily to ensure the security of the 911-kilometer border between the two countries, and gave Türkiye the right to carry out limited military operations up to a depth of 10 kilometers inside Syrian territory.
Now, this agreement is undergoing a comprehensive review aimed at enhancing its operational effectiveness and transforming it into a broader framework for bilateral cooperation.
Turkish reports suggest that the new phase could include the establishment of joint military logistics, training, and operations centers in what has been described as critical areas inside Syria.
Within the framework of these developments, the areas administered by the Turkish forces in northern Syria are witnessing remarkable transformations on the ground:
- Partial withdrawal: Two Turkish brigades completed their missions and returned to Turkish territory;
- Continuity of Presence: Maintaining a Military Presence at Strategic and Sensitive Points;
- Joint cooperation: organizing bases and operations centers in cooperation with the Syrian side.
These new arrangements aim to achieve several complementary objectives:
- Strengthening security coordination between the two countries to counter common threats;
- Linking field arrangements to a well-established legal framework dating back more than two decades;
- Contributing to the re-establishment of the Syrian army with a modern identity based on the unity of the country;
- Transforming Border Security from a Defensive Concept to a Proactive Partnership.
These steps come in a changing context, as military developments in the region, including the development of the Syrian army’s capabilities and confrontations with the Syria Democratic Forces (SDF), have led to a reassessment of strategies.
Reports also indicate that these arrangements are in parallel with Türkiye’s active diplomatic efforts in the region, including talks with Saudi Arabia on defense cooperation.
The future of Turkish-Syrian relations, these steps seem to represent an attempt to turn a page in the complex relations between the two countries, through:
- Transforming a historic security agreement into a strategic cooperation framework;
- Balancing partial withdrawal with preserving security interests;
- Building a security partnership that transcends the traditional concept of borders.
These developments remain under observation, as the operational details and regional and international positions will determine the course of this transformation in Turkish-Syrian relations and its impact on regional stability.
