Latest news with #Turkish-Syrian
DW
2 days ago
- Politics
- DW
Just good neighbors? What nations helping Syria really want – DW – 06/11/2025
Aid, money, political cover — Syria's neighbors are providing a lot to the war-torn country. But the likes of Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the US are obviously not just helping Syria because they're benevolent and kind. With strings attached — that is how almost all the recent foreign aid and assistance into Syria should be seen. After the December 2024 rebel offensive that toppled the country's decades-long Assad family dictatorship, various neighboring states have stepped in to help Syria recover from 14 years of brutal civil war. There is a lot of vaunted talk of humanitarian assistance, Arab unity, international development and regional security. But as in any other diplomatic sphere, most of the countries involved are also acting in their own self-interest. So, what are they doing in Syria and why? Turkey: Biggest winner Turkey has often been described as the "biggest winner" after the ousting of the Assad regime in a lightning offensive led by the rebel group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS. "The [HTS] group had long cultivated a close working relationship with Ankara because the rebels controlled Idlib, a province on the Turkish border in northern Syria," Asli Aydintasbas, a senior policy fellow and expert on Turkey at the European Council on Foreign Relations, or ECFR, explained recently . HTS has gone on to form an interim government, keeping some of the most powerful ministries — such as defense, foreign affairs and interior — for its own members or close associates. This puts the Turkish government, with existing ties to HTS, in a powerful position. "Turkey, first and foremost, in the mid- and long term, is interested in the stabilization of Syria," Sinem Adar, a researcher at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, told the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies . "It doesn't want a failed state at its border." Earlier this month, Turkish defense minister Yasar Guler (pictured) said Turkish soldiers will stay in Syria for the time being Image: SIMON WOHLFAHRT/AFP There are currently around 20,000 Turkish troops in northern Syria, there has been talk of a Turkish-Syrian defense pact, as well as plans to set up Turkish air and naval bases inside Syria. Earlier this month, Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler told journalists his country will help train the new Syrian military. In the shorter term, one of Turkey's primary objectives was to counter Syrian Kurdish forces, who controlled large parts of Syria's northeast during the war. Turkey considers these to be allied with the militant Kurdish Worker's Party, or PKK. For decades, the latter was engaged in a violent, armed struggle against Turkey, for Kurdish rights, but announced the end of their insurgency earlier this year. This is why Turkey has backed the formation of a centralized government in Syria, rather than a federation of semi-autonomous areas run by different Syrian communities, including the Kurds. For now, Turkey appears to have got its way: Syria's Kurds have agreed to be part of the central, HTS-led interim government and say their troops will join the new Syrian army. There are also economic opportunities for Turkey in Syria. The neighboring country was already providing a lot of consumer goods in HTS-controlled areas and also has a large construction sector that would benefit from rebuilding in Syria. In fact, stock prices for Turkish construction sector businesses rose around 3% after the ouster of the Assad regime. A more prosperous Syria would also mean Syrian refugees in Turkey, who have become a tricky political issue, would be more likely to return home Image: Ahmed Deeb/dpa/picture alliance The Gulf states: Money and power Various Gulf states have come to Syria's financial and reputational rescue over the past few months. Saudi Arabia and Qatar paid off its $15.5 million (€13.6 million) debt to the World Bank, Qatar will pay around $87 million in salaries for Syrian public servants and some of Syria's first major development deals have been with United Arab Emirates, Qatari and Turkish companies. Saudi Arabian leaders also successfully pushed for the lifting of sanctions on Syria and, although it was never officially confirmed, the UAE allegedly helped defuse tensions between Syria and neighboring Israel. "The [Gulf] states are exerting their leverage on Syria's need of financial resources to entrench economic and political alliances with the new leadership in Damascus," Eleonora Ardemagni, a senior research fellow at the Italian Institute for International Political Studies, explained in a June analysis . "[Gulf] states' interest lies in strengthening their political, security and economic ties with Damascus and using this to address questions that matter to them, such as trafficking of the Captagon drug and counterterrorism," Emily Tasinato, an ECFR fellow researching the Gulf region, also wrote recently. For Gulf leaders, there is also emphasis on filling the geopolitical power vacuum that arose after the end of the Assad regime. Previously Iran and Russia were Assad's biggest supporters and Gulf states, with mostly Sunni Muslim leaderships, were happy to see Iran, a Shiite Muslim theocracy and perennial foe, pushed out. Saudi Arabia is also concerned about Turkey's influence, Ardemagni suggested. After meeting with Syrian leader Ahmad al-Sharaa (right) in Saudi Arabia, President Trump (center) said he would lift sanctions on Syria partially because Saudi prince Mohammed bin Salman (left) asked him to Image: IMAGO US: A brand new alliance? US President Donald Trump previously called for American troops to get out of Syria. "This is not our fight," he wrote on social media last December. But that attitude seems to have changed following talks with the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Turkey, both of whom Trump professes to like personally. During the civil war, around 2,000 US soldiers were stationed alongside Syrian Kurds, in the ongoing fight against the extremist "Islamic State," or "IS," group. Currently a drawdown is underway, with 500 having already left as Syrian-Kurdish fighters integrate into the general Syrian army. However, this month, there have also been reports that a US military delegation will soon come to Damascus to make a deal to transition the previously unauthorized American presence into an authorized one. In an interview with Syria TV last month, US State Department spokesperson Michael Mitchell said it was too early for the US to withdraw completely because of ongoing concerns about the "IS" group. The US was ready to begin a "new era" in its relationship with Syria, Mitchell added. Observers have speculated the US could actually take on an even bigger role in Syria in the future. This would, they argue, counter Russian influence and potentially even lead to some kind of Syrian-Israeli detente. Iran, Russia: The biggest losers Both countries are often described as having lost the most after the ousting of the Assad regime. Both previously had a significant presence in Syria, and this has been significantly reduced. But that does not mean either is gone for good. Russian diplomats retain a presence in Syria, Russia has controversially positioned itself as a "protector" of Syria's minorities and also has close economic ties to Syrian allies like Turkey and the UAE. As for Iran, its "influence in Syria is no longer contingent on the Assad regime's survival," Egyptian security analyst Mohamed ELDoh wrote for specialist US outlet, Global Security Review , this month. "It is embedded in paramilitary networks, ideological infrastructure and narco-trafficking cartels."
Arab News
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Turkish and Israeli move to head off Syria crisis Talks to prevent armed clashes
ISTANBUL: Turkiye and Israel have held crisis talks aimed at preventing conflict between their armed forces in the Syrian Arab Republic, officials from both countries said on Thursday. The first discussions took place in Azerbaijan to establish a 'de-escalation mechanism to prevent undesirable incidents in Syria,' the Turkish Defense Ministry said. 'Work will continue to establish the conflict-free mechanism.' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said both sides had 'agreed to continue on the path of dialogue in order to preserve security stability.' Since dictator Bashar Assad's regime was ousted by Syrian opposition forces last year, Israel has launched a wave of airstrikes on military targets there, and sent troops into parts of southern Syria beyond the Golan Heights, which it already occupies. Among the Israeli targets were at least three air bases that had been inspected by Turkish military teams with a view to deploying forces as part of a planned joint defense pact with Damascus. Ankara supports the new Syrian government, which is led by groups Turkiye backed during the 13-year civil war. The support includes counterterrorism operations against Daesh. Turkiye's emergence as a key player in Syria has prompted Israeli concerns over a larger Turkish military presence. Netanyahu said Turkish bases in Syria would be a 'danger to Israel.' The Turkish Defense Ministry said assessments for the establishment of a base for joint Turkish-Syrian training were ongoing, and such activities followed international law 'without targeting third countries.' Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Turkiye had 'no intention of conflict in Syria, not only with Israel but with any country in the region.' But he said Ankara could not 'watch Syria being subjected to internal turmoil, an operation, a provocation that will threaten Turkey's national security.'
Al Jazeera
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Turkiye and Israel hold talks to avoid clashes in Syria
Turkish and Israeli officials have begun talks aimed at easing tensions in Syria, where the militaries of both countries are active, officials from both sides say. Israel has launched hundreds of air strikes in Syria and deployed troops to a United Nations-patrolled buffer zone in the Golan Heights since opposition fighters removed President Bashar al-Assad in December. Turkiye is a key backer of the interim government in Syria, where its support includes operations against the ISIL (ISIS) armed group. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan confirmed on Wednesday that technical talks with Israel were under way, emphasising that deconfliction mechanisms were necessary to prevent misunderstandings between the two regional powers' forces. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement on Thursday that the two sides 'agreed to continue the dialogue in order to preserve regional stability'. The talks come as the two sides pursue competing interests in Syria. Turkish sources quoted by the news agency Reuters said the talks in Azerbaijan on Wednesday marked the beginning of efforts to set up a communications channel to avoid potential clashes or misunderstandings over military operations in the region. 'Efforts will continue to establish this mechanism,' one of the Turkish sources said, without providing details on the scope or timeline of the talks. A Turkish Ministry of National Defence official quoted by The Associated Press news agency said assessments for the establishment of a base for joint Turkish-Syrian training are ongoing, adding that such activities followed international law 'without targeting third countries'. Israel has expressed concerns that Syria's new leadership will pose a threat along its border while Israel also reportedly wants to thwart Turkish influence in Syria. Netanyahu said on Tuesday that Turkish bases in Syria would be a 'danger to Israel'. An Israeli political source quoted by Reuters said that during the talks 'Israel made it unequivocally clear that any change in the deployment of foreign forces in Syria – and in particular the establishment of Turkish bases in the Palmyra area – is a red line and will be considered a breaking of the rules.' According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a United Kingdom-based war monitor, Israel's military carried out more than 500 air attacks on targets in Syria from December 8 to December 31 and has carried out at least 43 attacks so far this year. Syria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has accused Israel of waging a campaign against 'the stability of the country'. Ties between Israel and Turkiye have deteriorated over Israel's assault on Gaza. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been an outspoken critic of Israel's war, which has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians.
Los Angeles Times
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Turkey and Israel hold talks to avoid accidental conflict in Syria
ISTANBUL — Turkey and Israel have held 'technical talks' aimed at preventing conflict between their troops in Syria, a Turkish official said Thursday. The first discussions were held in Azerbaijan on Wednesday to establish a 'de-escalation mechanism to prevent undesirable incidents in Syria,' the Defense Ministry official said on condition of anonymity as part of a policy to discuss the issue. 'Work will continue to establish the conflict-free mechanism.' Since the fall of President Bashar Assad in Syria late last year, Israel and Turkey have been competing over their separate interests there. Syria's Foreign Ministry has said Israeli jets have struck a Syrian airbase. Turkey purportedly hopes to use the base to extend its influence. Israel also fears that Syria's new Islamist leadership will pose a new threat along its border and has set up a buffer zone inside Syrian territory. Turkey's emergence as a key player in Syria, meanwhile, has prompted Israeli concerns over a larger Turkish military presence. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that Turkish bases in Syria would be a 'danger to Israel.' Ankara is supporting the new Syrian government, which is led by former rebels it backed during the 13-year civil war. The support includes counterterrorism operations against the Islamic State group. The Defense Ministry official said that assessments for the establishment of a base for joint Turkish-Syrian training are ongoing, adding that such activities followed international law 'without targeting third countries.' Netanyahu's office confirmed Wednesday's negotiations and said both sides 'agreed to continue on the path of dialogue in order to preserve security stability.' Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Wednesday that Turkey had 'no intention of conflict in Syria, not only with Israel but with any country in the region.' But he added that Ankara 'cannot watch Syria being subjected to an internal turmoil, an operation, a provocation that will threaten Turkey's national security.' Once strong regional partners, ties between Israel and Turkey have long been frosty and deteriorated further over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been an outspoken critic of the war, prompting angry reactions from Israeli officials. Netanyahu this week sought to hear support from his ally President Trump on a country Israel perceives as increasingly hostile. Instead, Trump lavished praise on Erdogan for 'taking over Syria,' positioned himself as a possible mediator between the countries and urged Netanyahu to be 'reasonable' in his dealings with Turkey. Wilks writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Melanie Lidman contributed to this report from Tel Aviv.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Turkey and Israel hold talks to avoid accidental conflict in Syria
ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey and Israel have held 'technical talks' aimed at preventing conflict between their troops in Syria, a Turkish official said Thursday. The first discussions were held in Azerbaijan on Wednesday to establish a 'de-escalation mechanism to prevent undesirable incidents in Syria,' the Defense Ministry official said on condition of anonymity as part of a policy to discuss the issue. 'Work will continue to establish the conflict-free mechanism.' Since the fall of President Bashar Assad in Syria late last year, Israel and Turkey have been competing over their separate interests there. Syria's Foreign Ministry has said Israeli jets have struck a Syrian airbase. Turkey purportedly hopes to use the base to extend its influence. Israel also fears that Syria's new Islamist leadership will pose a new threat along its border and has set up a buffer zone inside Syrian territory. Turkey's emergence as a key player in Syria, meanwhile, has prompted Israeli concerns over a larger Turkish military presence. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that Turkish bases in Syria would be a 'danger to Israel.' Ankara is supporting the new Syrian government, which is led by former rebels it backed during the 13-year civil war. The support includes counterterrorism operations against the Islamic State group. The Defense Ministry official said that assessments for the establishment of a base for joint Turkish-Syrian training are ongoing, adding that such activities followed international law 'without targeting third countries.' Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Wednesday that Turkey had 'no intention of conflict in Syria, not only with Israel but with any country in the region." But he added that Ankara "cannot watch Syria being subjected to an internal turmoil, an operation, a provocation that will threaten Turkey's national security.' Once strong regional partners, ties between Israel and Turkey have long been frosty and deteriorated further over the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been an outspoken critic of the war, prompting angry reactions from Israeli officials. Netanyahu this week sought to hear support from his ally President Donald Trump on a country Israel perceives as increasingly hostile. Instead, Trump lavished praise on Erdogan for 'taking over Syria,' positioned himself as a possible mediator between the countries and urged Netanyahu to be 'reasonable' in his dealings with Turkey.
