Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defence rejected claims that Syrian troops would be hired by the Turkish armed forces (TSK) after a pro-opposition media outlet had reported earlier this week that trainees from the new Syrian government’s military would be integrated into the Turkish army. On Thursday, the Turkish Defence ministry said that the training of foreign troops was a routine practice and Syrian cadets’ training was part of a joint training and consultancy deal with Damascus, noting that the Syrian soldiers were currently receiving training at the National Defence University. Ankara has argued that they have no interest in integrating these soldiers.
“These cadets will not join the Turkish Armed Forces after their training,” the ministry underlined, adding that they would return to Syria to work there once their training is completed. The ministry stated that Türkiye had agreements with many friendly countries and allies for the training of their soldiers. “Since the foundation of the university in 2016, 3,016 cadets from 39 countries, including the U.S., Balkan countries, Africa, Turkic states, Europe and Asian countries, have joined training sessions at military schools and institutes,” the statement said. Türkiye and Syria revived ties after the fall of the Baathist regime last year. Ankara has pledged support to Syria on its path to recovery after the Assad regime’s brutal attacks left the country in ruins. Ankara has been providing training, advisory and technical support at the request of Damascus since a deal was signed in August.
Separately, the ministry held a weekly press briefing on Thursday in Ankara. The ministry’s spokesperson, Brig. Adm. Zeki Aktürk, told reporters that four PKK terrorists surrendered to authorities last week and security forces destroyed shelters of the terrorists within Türkiye and abroad.
Türkiye seeks to have a close, pragmatic relationship with neighbouring countries such as Syria, Iraq and Iran. Ankara wishes to ensure this relationship is mutually beneficial to both itself and its neighbours. Its main goal is to secure its borders while having defence pacts with the respective countries that satisfies everyone concerned. At the heart of Turkish President Recipe Tayyip Erdogan’s foreign policy is the neo-Ottoman ideology. Ankara hopes to revive an Ottoman Islamic association of nations similar to the British Commonwealth of Nations. Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa in return will have disciplined and well-trained troops to secure the territorial integrity of his country. Syria will be made a stable nation once more with a path to stability and national security created. Refugees who have been crossing into Europe through Türkiye or some other perilous route can now return home. 1.2 million Syrians have already begun the journey to their home land.
The Kurdish Workers’ Party which is a Marxist group of militants fighting for control of the Kurdish majority southern Turkish region has long sort to expand its influence over the region’s Kurdish population. The PKK has found their overreach and influence diminished by Ankara’s perseverance in combatting the organization.
Mean while Syrian refugees will be making their way back to the country to rebuild their shattered lives.
The end of Syria’s civil war in December 2024, as rebels toppled the oppressive regime, led to an uptick in the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland, regardless of the crumbling infrastructure of the war-torn country. Türkiye embraced refugees from its southern neighbor as the war intensified and, at one point, hosted the largest Syrian refugee community in the world. Despite reaction from far-right groups, the government adhered to its principle of an open-door policy for refugees fleeing the war. It occasionally encouraged returns for refugees, but only to areas in northern Syria liberated from terrorist groups, and only voluntarily. After the collapse of the Baathist regime, refugees who called Türkiye home for years have been streaming to the border crossings for returns.
Yerlikaya told lawmakers that Türkiye hosted some 3.6 million foreigners with legal residence in Türkiye as of Oct. 31 and Syrians under temporary protection status made up more than 2.3 million of them. He said more than 149,000 people of other nationalities were also in Türkiye under temporary protection status, while more than 1.08 million people had residence permits.
The fall of long-time President Bashir Al Assad gave new hope to the Syrian people following a prolonged fourteen year long civil war. Türkiye has had its role in seeing the end of the authoritarian Syrian regime and also supported those who sort shelter with in its borders. Damascus may have a new transitional government at the helm supported financially by the western world and its regional neighbours but the reconstruction of the country will be massive. It could be decades before Syria holds any form of democratic elections. Al-Sharaa had best be up to the task and battle ahead. The Syrian Kurds will have to be given some of rehabilitation and reconciliation following an end to the conflict. Under the rule of both Bashir and his father President Hafez al-Assad the Kurds were denied citizenship and were routinely discriminated against.
The Turks will now be able to forge a new relationship with the Syrian people in the long run. The relationship between the two countries will be a stabilizing force for Syria. The government of Al-Sharaa and the Syrian people will forge new ties with Turkish President Recipe Tayyip Erdogan who stood in firm support of their plight. The rebuilding of Syria will be long and hard but not impossible.
Article written by:
Yacoob Cassim
Journalist at Radio Al Ansaar
