A military delegation visited Syria yesterday for technical discussions aimed at enhancing defense and security cooperation, according to Defense Ministry Spokesperson Rear Admiral Zeki Aktürk.
Speaking at a weekly press briefing today, Aktürk said, “We have made it clear that we will not allow any terrorist formation or faits accomplis in the region,” referring to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which controls the of the country.
“We are committed to working closely with the new Syrian administration to strengthen Syria’s defense and security capacities and facilitate the safe, voluntary, and dignified return of Syrian refugees," said the spokesperson.
According to Syria's state news agency SANA, the Turkish delegation met with Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra and Chief of General Staff Ali Nasaan in Damascus.
‘Contact has continued from the beginning’
Following the press briefing, Defense Ministry officials provided further details to reporters. They explained that initial contact between military commanders on both sides had been ongoing for some time and was now being expanded at a higher level.
“Since the reactivation of Syrian state institutions, we have been working to establish defense and security cooperation with our counterparts,” the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA) quoted the officials as saying. “This visit marked the first formal delegation sent directly from our Ministry's headquarters to Syria.”
The discussions reportedly focused on countering terrorist threats that pose risks to both nations. “There was an exchange of views on how to jointly combat terrorist organizations and address security issues,” the officials added. “Moving forward, we will continue talks based on emerging needs.” (VC/VK)
