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Turkish defense ministry officials said Thursday that Turkey will provide weapons, military equipment and logistics support to Syria under the newly signed defense agreement.
The announcement comes a day after Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Goller and Syrian Defence Minister Mahaf Abu Kasra signed a memorandum of cooperation on military training and consultants to enhance Turkey’s support for Syrian interim government.
Last month, Syria called for Turkey’s assistance to strengthen its defensive capabilities after sectarian violence in the country, which also led to Israeli intervention.
Under the agreement, Turkey will share its “knowledge and experience” and will help strengthen the country’s capabilities by supplying military equipment, weapons systems and logistics materials, Turkish Defense Ministry officials said.
Syrian interim government faces challenges in restoring order after nearly 14 years of civil war, following the expulsion of former President Bashar al-Assad by Muslim-led rebels in December.
Recently, hundreds have been killed in a clash in southern Sweida between government forces and local Bedouin tribes, while the other slang minority fighter jets have been killed.
Turkey has supported the new Syrian regime. This is primarily formed by the rebels supported by Ankara during the civil war.
On Wednesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan warned Israeli and Kurdish fighters to stop acting that threatens Syria’s stability, accusing them of undermining their efforts to reestablish themselves.
Speaking at a press conference in Ankara, Fidan accused him of stagnating the implementation of the agreement he reached in March to integrate with Syrian forces, and denounced the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Last week, representatives of various ethnic and religious organizations in Syria held a conference in Hassake to call for the drafting of a new constitution that would ensure the formation of a dispersed state and the formation of a religious, cultural and ethnic pluralism.
The Syrian government criticized the conference and argued that some of the attendees had separatist ambitions.
He said he intends to take part in planned consultations with the SDF in Paris, agreed in late July. No dates were set for these talks yet.
Additional sources •AP
