Syria's new government offers Turkey to deploy military air bases in the country instead of Russian ones
The head of Syria's transitional government, Ahmed al-Sharaa, plans to discuss with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan the deployment of military air bases in the country to replace the Russian ones.
Here's What We Know
According to sources, these are two Turkish air bases in the desert region of Badia in eastern Syria. Earlier, the media reported that Ankara plans to deploy F-16 fighters there.
In addition, Turkey will receive permission to use Syrian airspace for military purposes and will commit to helping the country in case of external threats. Al-Sharaa intends to discuss with Turkey the creation of a new Syrian army, as the previous one was disbanded after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad.
Syrian soldiers from the 1st Corps of the Samarkand Brigade. 23 November 2022. Illustration: AFP
Information about the possible expansion of Turkey's military presence in Syria emerged after Russia's unsuccessful attempts to maintain its bases in Hmeymim and Tartus. A delegation from the Russian Foreign Ministry visited Damascus on 28 January, but the talks reached a deadlock as the new Syrian government demanded Assad's extradition and reparations.
Turkey is seeking to strengthen cooperation with the new Syrian government, particularly in the military sphere, and is considering exporting its weapons to the new Syrian army.
Source: Reuters
