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Despite Supporting Armed Factions.. Turkey Claims Readiness to Train "Syrian Army"
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Turkish Officials' Statements Confirm Contradiction in Turkish Policy Toward Syria Between Armed Factions Support and Seeking Cooperation with New Administration
Turkish positions toward Syria conflicted again, as Defense Minister Yaşar Güler reviewed possibility reassessing country's military presence in Syria, coinciding with Ankara acknowledging support for armed factions and previous regime overthrow.
Called for "giving new Syrian administration chance to govern," ignoring country's role in previous destabilization. Claimed Ankara's readiness providing military training to Syrian army if new administration requests, per Reuters, forgetting country's previous role weakening this army.
Güler denied indicators of comprehensive Russian withdrawal from Syria. Turkish minister ruled out evidence of ISIS terrorist organization's return, which controlled vast Syria and Iraq areas in 2014.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan previously celebrated HTS and allied factions' advance, two days before Assad regime fall, then threatening targeting Damascus capital after controlling Aleppo, Hama and Homs.
Tehran, previous regime's ally, pointed accusations toward "neighboring country" in previous regime's overthrow, implicitly referencing Ankara.
Turkey played dual role since Syrian crisis outbreak through supporting anti-Damascus armed factions in border-adjacent areas, repeatedly targeting Kurdish fighters under Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) banner.
Levant-Agencies
