Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler affirmed that Turkey stands ready to support the new administration in Syria, led by Islamist-aligned rebels who recently overthrew President Bashar al-Assad, should they request assistance.
Speaking to Turkish media, Güler emphasized that the newly-formed government in Syria should be “given a chance” to establish stability and governance. “We are ready to provide the necessary support, including military training, if the new administration requests it,” Güler said.
The statement comes amid ongoing geopolitical realignments following the collapse of Assad’s regime, which had ruled Syria for over five decades.
The regime collapse followed a rapid military offensive by rebel forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a faction formerly affiliated with al-Qaeda that has since sought to rebrand itself as a more moderate Islamist authority.
HTS’s success in seizing major cities and advancing toward Damascus prompted Assad to fly to Moscow, where the Russian government granted him asylum.
In the days leading to his ouster, Assad reportedly accused Turkey of intensifying its support for the rebels. According to two senior Iranian officials cited by Reuters, Assad conveyed his frustration to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi during a meeting on December 2 in Damascus. Tehran, a key Assad ally, had invested significant financial and military resources to keep his regime afloat during Syria’s civil war.
Following the meeting, Araqchi reportedly traveled to Ankara to express Iran’s concerns to Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. The Iranian delegation criticized Turkey’s alignment with U.S. and Israeli interests in the region, accusing Ankara of undermining Iran’s influence and destabilizing the Assad regime.
Fidan, however, reportedly defended Turkey’s position, stating that Assad’s failure to pursue genuine peace efforts and years of authoritarian rule were to blame for Syria’s collapse.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier confirmed that the United States has made “direct contact” with the HTS after it toppled Assad’s government. While he did not disclose details of the discussions, Blinken underscored the importance of “Syrian-led and Syrian-owned” political solutions and that Syria “should not be used as a base for terrorist groups or others.”
