Syria’s al-Sharaa, Turkiye’s Erdogan talk Kurdish fighters, defence pacts
Al JazeeraFeb 02
Syria’s al-Sharaa Meets Turkey’s Erdoğan
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Above: Turkish Pres. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (R) and Syrian Pres. Ahmad al-Sharaa (L) shake hands as they hold a joint press conference after their meeting at Presidential Complex in Ankara, Turkey on Feb. 4, 2025. Image copyright: Mehmet Ali Ozcan/Contributor/Anadolu via Getty Images
The Facts
Syrian interim Pres. Ahmed al-Sharaa met with Turkish Pres. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara on Tuesday, marking his second international trip since the former Syrian government under Bashar al-Assad was toppled in December.
The leaders reportedly discussed establishing new Turkish military bases in central Syria, including potential airbases at Palmyra and the T4 base in Homs province, as part of a comprehensive defense partnership.
Turkey pledged support for Syria's fight against the Islamic State (IS) and Kurdish fighters, referring to the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northeast Syria, which Turkey says is an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
The Spin
Narrative A
The Turkish-Syrian alliance represents a crucial step toward regional stability and security, with both nations united in their commitment to combat terrorism and protect territorial integrity. The partnership promises to bring economic revival and infrastructure development to Syria while addressing mutual security concerns. Both Turkey and Syria will benefit from continued cooperation.
Narrative B
An alliance between Syria's new government and Turkey would be an existential threat to the US-backed SDF, which has been a key ally in fighting IS. The proposed Turkish military expansion into Syria risks undermining Kurdish autonomy and years of successful counter-terrorism efforts.
