Forty-nine Syrians have begun training in Turkey as part of a new program, Al Akhbar in Lebanon reported this week. As Turkey works to try to train Syria’s new army, it is inviting Syrians to train and use military barracks in Turkey.
Syrians will also attend Turkish military academies, Turkey’s Hürriyet said on Thursday. This is important and will mean that the Syrian army becomes increasingly influenced by Turkey. HTS, the Syrian rebel group that came to power in Damascus in December 2024, replacing the Assad regime, had some ties with Turkey. However, it was not as closely tied to Ankara as other Syrian rebel groups. Now it looks like Syria will become deeply influenced by Ankara.
The Hürriyet report said that Turkey will allow Syrians to use Turkish military barracks and attend military academies, according to the Turkish Defense Ministry.
“A first batch of Syrian military students will begin their courses on October 31 in various Turkish military institutions, the Defense Ministry has announced, in line with a bilateral agreement that stipulates increasing the security capacity of the new Syrian army,” it noted.
“Within the scope of the ‘Joint Training and Consultancy Memorandum of Understanding’ signed within the framework of close cooperation aimed at increasing Syria’s defense and security capacity, 49 Syrian students... are planned to begin training at our War Academies tomorrow,” ministry spokesman Zeki Aktürk told a weekly press conference on Thursday.
The MoU signed by both countries in August is moving into fruition. “The agreement was signed upon the request of the new Syrian government with the objective of restructuring a national army capable of providing security across the country’s lands.” The facilities in Turkey are already open for Syrians, the report noted.
Integration of US-backed SDF to Syrian army
There are also implications for the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces in eastern Syria. It has sent Damascus a list of potential officers that would be integrated with Damascus-backed forces. Turkey has opposed the SDF in the past. “There are reports that the talks between the two sides have recently improved and three divisions of the SDF will be integrated into the national army soon,” Hürriyet added.
The first Syrians to go to train in Turkey include 10 members of the ground forces, 18 from the navy, and 21 from the air force. “It is worth noting that the defense cooperation agreement, signed on August 13, includes the regular exchange of military personnel to participate in specialized training courses with the aim of raising operational readiness and enhancing the ability to work together,” Al Akhbar noted.
This is very important because it will mean that Syrian security affairs will be shaped by Ankara in the future. Israel is concerned that this could eventually impact Jerusalem because Turkey tends to be very hostile to Israel. Israel also opposes Turkey’s involvement in Gaza.