Turkey’s Sivas governorate sends police special forces to Syria
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Turkish governorate of Sivas announced on Thursday the deployment of police special operations teams to Syria for what it described as temporary duties, according to an official statement published on the province’s verified account on the X platform.
The statement said the farewell ceremony for the Police Special Operations units (PÖH) was held at the headquarters of the Special Operations Branch Directorate in Sivas, in the presence of Governor Yılmaz Şimşek and the city’s police chief, Ahmet Alağaçlı.
During the ceremony, Governor Şimşek addressed the officers, wishing them safety during their mission and upon their return. The province’s statement quoted him as saying: “I ask God to protect you from all harm, to support and help you all. Go in peace and return in peace.”
No further details were provided regarding the number of personnel deployed, their exact destination inside Syria, or the nature of their tasks.
The statement added that the teams form part of what it described as “Operation Deterrence of Aggression,” which was launched on Nov. 27, 2024, and which, according to Turkish authorities, led to the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government.
The Turkish Interior Ministry has not issued a separate announcement regarding the Sivas deployment, and no confirmation has been released by Syrian authorities or international actors.
According to the Sivas governorate’s statement, the police teams departed shortly after the ceremony, with their mission described as time-limited and operational in nature.