Turkey, Israel discuss Syria de-escalation mechanism in Azerbaijan
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – The Turkish Ministry of Defense announced on Thursday that it held a technical meeting with Israeli officials in Azerbaijan to discuss establishing a de-escalation mechanism in Syria.
The Ministry emphasized that the Turkish military presence in Syria is aimed at training forces affiliated with the new Syrian transitional government and contributing to regional stability.
In an official statement, the Ministry said that the meeting aims to avoid unintended incidents in Syria, and that work on finalizing this mechanism is ongoing.
The Ministry also noted that it is closely monitoring developments related to the withdrawal of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) from Aleppo and the Tishrin Dam, as well as their transfer to government control.
The statement explained that Turkey’s presence in Syria is in response to the request of the new Syrian transitional government, adding that they are providing support to strengthen its defense capacity and assist in combating all terrorist organizations, especially ISIS.
The statement also mentioned ongoing evaluations to establish a military training base, emphasizing that Turkey’s sole objective is to support Syria’s territorial integrity, ensure its stability and security, and eliminate terrorism.
The Ministry reaffirmed that all current and future actions are being carried out in accordance with agreements between the two countries, in line with international law, and without targeting any third party.