Turkey will provide weapons, military equipment, and logistical support to Syria under a newly signed defense cooperation agreement, officials from Turkey’s Defense Ministry said Thursday.
The deal, signed Wednesday by Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler and Syria’s Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra, includes cooperation on military training and consultancy. Turkey would share its “knowledge and experience” and supply arms, weapons systems, and logistical materials to bolster Syria’s defense, officials said on condition of anonymity.
Syria’s interim government sought Turkish assistance last month after sectarian violence and Israeli intervention. The administration, formed largely by Ankara-backed rebels, has faced challenges restoring order after former President Bashar Assad was ousted in December.
On Wednesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan urged Israel and Kurdish fighters to halt actions threatening Syria’s stability, accusing the U.S.-allied Syrian Democratic Forces of stalling a merger with the Syrian army.
The Syrian government also criticized a recent Hassakeh conference that called for a decentralized state, accusing some attendees of secessionist ambitions.