Turkey to assist Syria with weapons and training under new military MoU
A Turkish defence ministry source confirmed the details on Thursday, stating that Ankara is prepared to train Syrian forces if required.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) focuses on military training and consultancy, marking the first step toward broader defence collaboration.
The agreement followed high-level talks involving both countries' foreign and defence ministers, as well as intelligence chiefs.
The source also addressed the stalled integration of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into Syria's state institutions.
Ankara expects the SDF to comply with a March agreement, which has seen no progress so far.
The U.S.-backed group has not fulfilled any conditions outlined in the deal with Damascus, according to the Turkish official.
The development signals deepening military ties between Turkey and Syria amid ongoing regional tensions. - Reuters
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
21 minutes ago
- The Star
UK councillor acquitted over 'cut all their throats' speech
FILE PHOTO: Ricky Jones attends an anti-racism protest in Walthamstow, London, Britain, August 7, 2024. REUTERS/Catarina Demony/File Photo LONDON (Reuters) -A British councillor was on Friday acquitted of encouraging violent disorder for saying far-right activists should have their throats cut amid riots last year, drawing claims from right-wing politicians of a hypocritical "two-tier" justice system. Ricky Jones made the comments at a counter-protest in London after three girls were murdered in the north English town of Southport and was suspended by the ruling Labour party. Misinformation on social media said the teenager who committed the murders at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event was an Islamist migrant, fuelling days of violent riots including attacks on mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers. Jones, 58, was cleared by a jury following a trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court. He had made the remarks to a crowd gathered near an immigration advice centre in London after reports that far-right supporters were planning a protest. "They are disgusting Nazi fascists ... We need to cut all their throats and get rid of them all," he said, running a finger across his throat. Jones gave evidence that he did not intend his words to be taken literally and said his comments referred to far-right stickers with hidden razor blades found on a train. Right-wing politicians and activists said his case was an example of how Britain had an unfair police and justice system, with those who voice concerns about immigration treated differently to those who support liberal or left-wing causes. They contrasted Jones' treatment with that of Lucy Connolly, the wife of a Conservative councillor who was jailed for 31 months for inciting racial hatred for a post urging mass deportation of migrants and the burning of their hotels. Unlike Jones, she had pleaded guilty to the offence. Chris Philp, the opposition Conservative Party's home affairs spokesperson, said on X: "The development of two-tier justice is becoming increasingly alarming." Zia Yusuf, from the populist right-wing Reform UK party which is leading in opinion polls, also compared Jones' acquittal to Connolly's sentence. Prime Minister Keir Starmer was labelled "two-tier Keir" by some opponents last summer after claims some ethnic groups were policed more leniently than others, a suggestion that has been rejected by senior ministers, police chiefs and prosecutors. (Reporting by Sam Tobin; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
The Star
21 minutes ago
- The Star
China accuses Philippine vessels of 'dangerous manoeuvres' after its own ships collided
BEIJING (Reuters): China's defence ministry accused Philippine Coast Guard vessels on Friday of "dangerous manoeuvres" in response to reports of a collision earlier this week between two Chinese vessels near Scarborough Shoal in the disputed South China Sea. The Philippine vessels' actions "seriously endangered the safety of Chinese vessels and personnel," ministry spokesperson Jiang Bin. Jiang neither confirmed nor denied that there had been a collision involving two Chinese vessels on Monday. "We demand that the Philippine side immediately stop its infringing and provocative rhetoric and actions," Jiang said. "China reserves the right to take necessary countermeasures." The Scarborough Shoal has been a major source of tension in what is a strategic conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce. Footage from the Philippine Coast Guard showed a Chinese coastguard ship trailing the PCG vessel before a Chinese navy ship suddenly cut across the path of the other Chinese ship, colliding with it and damaging the forecastle of the coastguard vessel. It was the first known crash between Chinese vessels in the area. The Philippines on Friday said it bore no responsibility for the collision. "It was an unfortunate outcome, but not one caused by our actions," Manila's foreign minister Theresa Lazaro said in a statement. The Philippine Coast Guard deployed three vessels on Monday to deliver supplies for Filipino fishermen in the Scarborough Shoal before the collision took place, Manila said on Tuesday. The confrontation was the latest in a series of incidents amid a period of heightened tensions between Manila and Beijing over territorial disputes in the South China Sea. A 2016 ruling of an international arbitral tribunal voided Beijing's sweeping claims in the region, saying they had no basis under international law, a decision China rejects. -- (Reporting by Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Alex Richardson) Reuters
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Trump says he will set tariffs on steel and semiconductor chips in coming weeks
FILE PHOTO: Steel rolls from China are seen after being unloaded at the Valparaiso port, Chile July 10, 2025. REUTERS/Rodrigo Garrido/File Photo ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday he would announce tariffs on imports of steel and semiconductor chips in coming weeks. "I'll be setting tariffs next week and the week after on steel and on, I would say, chips," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he headed to a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. He said the rates would be lower at the start to allow companies to build up domestic manufacturing in the U.S., rising sharply later, following a pattern he has also outlined for tariffs on pharmaceuticals. He gave no exact rates. "I'm going to have a rate that is going to be lower at the beginning - that gives them a chance to come in and build - and very high after a certain period of time," he said. Trump said he felt confident that companies would opt to manufacture in the United States, rather than face high tariffs. Trump has upended global trade by imposing sharply higher duties on nearly all countries' exports to the United States, along with tariffs on specific sectors, such as automotive. Trump in February raised tariffs on steel and aluminum to a flat 25%, but he announced in May that he would double the rate to 50% to boost domestic manufacturers. It was not immediately clear if another tariff increase on the metals was in the offing. Trump said last week he would impose a tariff of 100% on imports of semiconductors, but companies that committed to building up manufacturing in the United States would be exempt. His remarks were made in tandem with an announcement that Apple would be investing an additional $100 billion in its home market. (Reporting by Steve Holland and Andrea Shalal, editing by Ross Colvin)
