Turkey will begin supplying natural gas to Syria starting August 2 as part of a trilateral energy agreement involving Azerbaijan and Qatar. The initiative will see Azerbaijani gas delivered to Syria through Turkey’s Kilis province and into the Aleppo region, Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar told Anadolu Agency, as reported by Reuters.

The agreement is a swap arrangement in which Azerbaijan supplies natural gas to Turkey, which then transits it to Syria. Bayraktar told Reuters, “The gas that will come from Azerbaijan will be exported to Aleppo, Syria, via Kilis.”

Trilateral deal with Azerbaijan, Qatar

This strategic cooperation is backed financially by Qatar. The project will initially supply 6 million cubic meters of gas per day, generating approximately 1,200 megawatts of electricity for Syria. In addition, Turkey will provide an extra 500 megawatts to help stabilize Syria's energy grid.

According to Reuters, a formal ceremony to mark the beginning of the gas flow is scheduled for Saturday, with ministers from Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Qatar expected to attend.

Bayraktar had previously visited Damascus in May, announcing Turkey's commitment to provide Syria with 2 billion cubic meters of gas annually and 1,000 megawatts of electricity. Earlier in July, he indicated that Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR might become an official partner in the project, per Reuters.

Diplomatic ties between Syria and Azerbaijan were suspended during al-Assad’s rule but have been revitalized in 2025. In July, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa visited Baku and signed a memorandum of understanding with SOCAR to export gas to Syria via Turkey.

Turkey-Azerbaijan energy cooperation

Turkey and Azerbaijan maintain a close strategic relationship described as “one nation, two states.” This alliance was formalized with the Shusha Declaration in June 2021. Major energy projects, such as the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP), Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC), and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum (BTE), have reinforced energy collaboration. The Iğdır-Nakhchivan pipeline, launched in March 2025, further enhances this framework, enabling Azerbaijani gas to reach new regions via Turkey.

Syria’s electricity crisis

Syria’s power infrastructure has been decimated by over a decade of war. Pre-war generation capacity was around 8,500–10,000 megawatts, but by 2025, operational capacity had dropped to between 1,700–3,500 megawatts. Demand, however, remains at around 6,500–7,000 megawatts.

Electricity is available for only 2–4 hours per day in most areas, with Damascus receiving just two hours daily. Over half of Syria’s electrical grid and 40% of transmission lines have been damaged or destroyed, with repair costs estimated at $120 billion.

The initial gas supply from Turkey and Azerbaijan will cover up to 1,700 megawatts, which is roughly 25% of Syria’s energy demand. While it marks an essential recovery step, further investment and cooperation are needed to meet national electricity needs fully.