Turkey, Syria sign defense deal to rebuild Syrian army
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Turkey signs a defense deal to supply the new Syrian Army with weapons, training, and logistics as the new regime rebuilds after 13 years and devastating Israeli airstrikes.
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A Syrian man flashes the victory sign, while passing by a burned military vehicle that was hit by Israeli strike, in Damascus, Syria, Monday, December 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Omar Sanadiki)
Turkey has agreed to provide the Syrian Army with advanced weapons systems and logistical equipment under a newly signed military cooperation agreement, signaling deepening military cooperation between Turkey and Syria.
A source in the Turkish Ministry of Defense said on Thursday that the agreement, signed on Wednesday, also allows for Ankara to train Syrian forces in operating the equipment if necessary.
According to Reuters, the source noted that the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by the United States, have failed to meet any conditions of the March agreement with the new regime on integrating the group into Syrian state institutions. An agreement Ankara expects the SDF to honor without delay.
According to SANA, the agreement aims to "strengthen the capabilities of the Syrian Army, develop its institutions and structure, and provide comprehensive support for security sector reform." Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Güler confirmed that Ankara is offering training and advisory support to Syria’s armed forces and is taking measures to bolster Syria’s defenses.
Part of a comprehensive Turkey–Syria defense agreement
This development is the latest in a series of moves under a broader Turkey–Syria defense agreement signed in August 2025. The pact covers military training in counterterrorism, mine clearance, cyber defense, logistics, military engineering, and peacekeeping operations. Discussions have also included establishing Turkish airbases in Syria’s central desert and deploying F-16 fighter jets.
Turkey maintains more than 20,000 troops in Syria and has no immediate plans for withdrawal. The partnership extends beyond the military as bilateral trade surged after the end of the war, with Turkish exports to Syria rising 38% in January 2025 alone. Machinery, construction materials, and metals, essential for Syria's reconstruction, saw particularly high growth.
Energy cooperation is also advancing, including a new gas pipeline to Aleppo, integration of electricity grids, and Turkish investments in Syria’s mining and phosphate sectors.
Rebuilding after the destruction of Syria’s military
The agreement comes after the devastating loss of Syria’s military capabilities in the wake of President Bashar al-Assad’s ouster in December 2024. In Operation "Arrow of Bashan," "Israel" carried out over 350 airstrikes in just 48 hours, destroying between 70% and 80% of Syria’s military infrastructure. The strikes targeted fighter jets, missile systems, naval assets, weapons factories, and radar installations.
The assault stretched from Damascus to Tartous, where explosions were so powerful they were likened to a "Hiroshima" by Israeli media. "Israel" also seized Syrian territory in the south and key water resources.
Experts estimate that rebuilding the Syrian Army could take many years and require hundreds of billions of dollars, leaving Syria reliant on foreign partners like Turkey for its defense and security.
