Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are expected to discuss a joint defense pact today (Tuesday) in Ankara, which would include the establishment of Turkish air bases in central Syria and training for the new Syrian army, four sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
During the Syrian civil war, Turkey backed certain rebel groups, including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which was led by al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani
According to Reuters sources, including a Syrian security official, two foreign security officials based in Damascus, and a senior regional intelligence officer, the agreement may allow Turkey to establish new air bases in Syria, use Syrian airspace for military purposes, and take a leading role in training the forces of the new Syrian army.
A regional intelligence source stated that potential locations for these air bases include the Palmyra military airfield and the Syrian army's T4 base, both of which were previously used by Iranian militias and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Over the past decade, these bases have been the target of numerous airstrikes attributed to the Israeli Air Force.
Last week, al-Sharaa declared himself Syria's interim president, a month and a half after the fall of the Assad regime. In the same speech, he also announced the disbanding of 18 armed militias that participated in the offensive that led to Assad's downfall. "We have broken the chains of Assad's regime, freed the tortured, and lifted the dust of humiliation and disgrace from the shoulders of al-Sham (the Levant). The sun of Syria has risen again, the people cheered, and the victory was great," al-Sharaa declared in his speech.
An official from the Syrian presidential office told Reuters that al-Sharaa would discuss with Erdogan "the training of the new Syrian army, as well as new deployment zones and areas of cooperation," without specifying the locations.
According to the official, Ankara is eager to establish bases in the region as a message to Kurdish autonomy forces in northeastern Syria. Although Turkey has previously threatened military action in the area, it has refrained from doing so while the new Damascus government engages in talks with Kurdish authorities over the fate of their military forces.
