Turkey’s defense ministry said Thursday that units of Syria’s army have begun training at Turkish Armed Forces facilities and that 49 Syrian officer candidates will start studies at Turkey’s military academies on October 31.
Out of the 49 prospective officers, 10 will be trained at the army academy, 18 at the naval academy and 21 at the air force academy, defense ministry sources told Turkish reporters during the ministry’s weekly press briefing.
Officials linked the steps to a “Joint Training and Consultancy” memorandum signed in Ankara on August 13, which provides for training, advisory support and access to weapons systems and logistics.
Syria’s Defense Ministry said last week that its minister met with a group of officer cadets dispatched to study in Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
Turkey says it backs Syria’s political unity following the ouster of former President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024 and has expanded military cooperation under the August accord.