Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani has expressed gratitude to Türkiye for its assistance in rebuilding Syria's armed forces, affirming that Damascus will not abandon Ankara’s support while anticipating that recently severed security talks with Israel could soon resume.
Addressing foreign policy priorities and regional security dynamics, al-Shaibani highlighted Syria's expanding military cooperation and training initiatives with regional partners, including Jordan and Saudi Arabia, with a particular emphasis on contributions from Türkiye.
"Syria is grateful to Türkiye for its support in rebuilding its army, and we will not give up this support," al-Shaibani said.
In an interview with Reuters on Saturday, Damascus' top diplomat also addressed recent Israel's airstrikes on the Abu al-Duhur air base, rejecting Israeli claims that Damascus intended to permit Turkish forces to deploy at the site.
He noted that both Syrian and Turkish officials had explicitly denied the assertion prior to the attack. Despite those assurances being conveyed to Israeli officials, Israel proceeded with the strike, resulting in a temporary breakdown of both direct and indirect contacts between Damascus and Israel.
