عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Lavrentyev in Türkiye to Discuss Progress in ‘Normalization’ of Ties with Syria

Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz held discussions with Lavrentyev at the Turkish Foreign Ministry headquarters on Saturday. (Turkish Foreign Ministry - “X”)
Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz held discussions with Lavrentyev at the Turkish Foreign Ministry headquarters on Saturday. (Turkish Foreign Ministry - “X”)
TT
20
TT

Lavrentyev in Türkiye to Discuss Progress in ‘Normalization’ of Ties with Syria

Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz held discussions with Lavrentyev at the Turkish Foreign Ministry headquarters on Saturday. (Turkish Foreign Ministry - “X”)
Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz held discussions with Lavrentyev at the Turkish Foreign Ministry headquarters on Saturday. (Turkish Foreign Ministry - “X”)

Russia continues its endeavors as part of an initiative to facilitate rapprochement between Türkiye and Syria and to restore normal relations between the two.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy to Syria, Alexander Lavrentyev, visited Ankara to conduct consultations on the Syrian file.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz met with Lavrenyev on Saturday at the ministry’s headquarters in Ankara, in the presence of the relevant bodies concerned with the Syrian file in the two countries.
The Russian official had previously visited Damascus on June 26, and held discussions with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over moves aimed at restoring normal relations with Ankara.
Assad expressed his readiness to respond to the initiatives proposed in this regard within the framework of Syria’s sovereignty.
Lavrentyev’s discussions with Ankara came a day after the Russian Reconciliation Center in Syria, affiliated with the Russian Ministry of Defense, announced the completion of the construction of a new Russian-Syrian military base in Ayn al-Arab (Kobani).
On Friday, the Russian TASS news agency quoted the director of the Russian Center for Reconciliation in Syria, Navy Colonel Oleg Ignasyuk, as saying that measures are ongoing to monitor the cessation of combat operations between the warring parties. He was referring to the Sochi Understanding signed between Ankara and Moscow on Oct. 22, 2019.
According to the understanding, Turkish and Russian forces conducted joint patrols in areas controlled by the SDF in northern Syria, including Ayn al-Arab.
Turkish Political Analyst Namik Durukan considered the establishment of the Russian base in Ain al-Arab as a remarkable step before an agreement is reached to hold a meeting between the Turkish and Syrian presidents, under Russian sponsorship.

Most Viewed

 
Arab World

Syria Launches Border Security Sweep amid Fears of Iranian Activity

Security forces during the ongoing security sweep in Al-Mayadeen in Syria’s Deir Ezzor.
Security forces during the ongoing security sweep in Al-Mayadeen in Syria’s Deir Ezzor.
TT
20
TT

Syria Launches Border Security Sweep amid Fears of Iranian Activity

Security forces during the ongoing security sweep in Al-Mayadeen in Syria’s Deir Ezzor.
Security forces during the ongoing security sweep in Al-Mayadeen in Syria’s Deir Ezzor.

Damascus has launched a security operation in eastern Syria near the Iraqi border in what sources described as a preemptive move, amid warnings that Iran could mobilize allied armed groups in the area, sources in the Syrian capital told Asharq Al-Awsat.

According to the sources, Syrian authorities received regional intelligence alerts about the potential for Iran to activate factions and militia members formerly linked to its Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran.

These groups, which remain active in cross-border smuggling, maintain extensive ties with Iraqi militias aligned with Tehran.

The sources said there are growing concerns that Iran may use these proxies to carry out attacks against US-led coalition forces or regional troops, as a means of broadening the conflict and easing pressure from Israeli strikes.

Two days after a phone call between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syria’s President Ahmed Al-Sharaa - during which Erdogan reportedly urged Damascus to stay out of the conflict - Syrian authorities announced the launch of a sweeping security campaign in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor.

Col. Derrar Al-Shamlan, head of internal security in Deir Ezzor, said on Monday that a “comprehensive security operation” had begun across the province, in full coordination with the Ministry of Defense, which is providing security cover and logistical support.

Shamlan urged residents to report any suspicious activity, saying the operation is aimed at rooting out remnants of what he called the “defunct regime.”

The campaign began at dawn on Monday with the imposition of a curfew in the border city of Al-Mayadeen, about 45 kilometers southeast of Deir Ezzor.

Al-Shamlan said the security campaign began in Al-Mayadeen due to the presence of wanted individuals involved in activities posing a “direct threat to public safety,” including drug trafficking, murder, and assaults on civilians.

In an official statement carried by Syrian state media, Shamlan said the operation would unfold in “phases” to ensure “maximum precision and effectiveness,” while stressing full respect for citizens’ rights and a clear distinction between suspects and innocent civilians.

He added that the campaign targets only those for whom “clear evidence exists” linking them to the listed crimes.

Local sources in Deir Ezzor told Asharq Al-Awsat that the security situation in eastern Syria remains highly complex, as internal security forces and the Ministry of Defense face mounting challenges in asserting control.

A key obstacle, they said, is the entrenched tribal structure in the region. Damascus has relied on a decentralized military presence, with local groups affiliated with security and defense institutions tasked with managing the area.

However, many of these recruits are former members of militias previously aligned with the Syrian regime, Iran, or Russia - a legacy that has fueled public resentment.

Several individuals have been dismissed from the public security force in recent weeks following accusations of abuses and violations against civilians.