Syria explores future military presence of Russia and Turkey 

Syria’s interim President Ahmad Al-Sharaa has said that his government is negotiating with Russia and Turkey regarding the future of their military presence in Syria. In an interview with the New York Times, Al-Sharaa pointed out that any future agreements must respect Syria’s sovereignty and regional security.

“We told all parties that this military presence must be consistent with the Syrian legal framework,” explained Al-Sharaa. He added that any arrangement must not allow foreign forces to threaten neighbouring countries through Syrian territory.

Russia is a long-time ally of the former regime of Bashar Al-Assad, and continues to operate military bases in Syria. Al-Sharaa acknowledged Syria’s heavy reliance on Russian-made weapons and existing agreements in areas such as food and energy, adding that so far, the new administration has not received offers from other countries to replace such weapons.

He also confirmed that Russia has refused to extradite the former Syrian president, who fled to Moscow following his ouster in December.

As Syria enters a new political era, several countries are vying for influence there. Russia aims to maintain its military and political presence, particularly along the Syrian coast. Turkiye, meanwhile, is focusing on the north, seeking to limit Kurdish autonomy and facilitate the return of Syrian refugees. Moreover, Israel continues to launch air strikes to assert its strategic interests in the region.

Al-Sharaa now faces the challenge of gaining Western confidence despite his alleged past affiliations with extremist groups. His ability to reposition Syria diplomatically will likely have an impact on the level of foreign engagement and assistance that the country will receive in the coming years.

READ: Syria authorities arrest former regime’s intelligence officer for ‘war crimes’