Turkey says it is training Syria’s armed forces and helping to boost its defenses, with no immediate plans to withdraw its troops from the country.
Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler said in a written statement to Reuters that Ankara was providing military training and advisory support to bolster Syria’s defense capabilities under the country’s new leadership.
Guler claimed that Turkey was committed to supporting Syria’s territorial integrity and counterterrorism efforts.
The security situation in Syria remains tenuous after militant factions, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), toppled President Bashar al-Assad’s government and took control of Damascus on December 8, 2024.
Guler said Ankara’s military presence—estimated at over 20,000 troops—would not be reconsidered unless lasting peace is achieved, full border security is ensured, and the safe return of Syrian refugees is guaranteed.
Turkey, a longtime backer of opposition forces in Syria, has established a broad military presence across the country’s north following years of cross-border operations against Kurdish militants it designates as terrorists.
