Turkey and Israel engage in talks to avoid accidental conflict in Syria

Istanbul: Turkiye and Israel have held “technical talks” aimed at preventing conflict between their troops in Syria, a Turkish official said Thursday.

The first discussions were held in Azerbaijan on Wednesday to establish a “de-escalation mechanism to prevent undesirable incidents in Syria,” the Defence Ministry official said on condition of anonymity as part of a policy to discuss the issue. “Work will continue to establish the conflict-free mechanism.”

Since the fall of President Bashar Assad in Syria late last year, Israel and Turkiye have been competing over their separate interests there. Syria’s Foreign Ministry has said Israeli jets have struck a Syrian airbase. Turkiye purportedly hopes to use the base to extend its influence.

Israel also fears that Syria’s new Islamist leadership will pose a new threat along its border and has set up a buffer zone inside Syrian territory. Turkiye’s emergence as a key player in Syria, meanwhile, has prompted Israeli concerns over a larger Turkish military presence. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that Turkish bases in Syria would be a “danger to Israel.”

The Defence Ministry official said that assessments for the establishment of a base for joint Turkish-Syrian training are ongoing, adding that such activities followed international law “without targeting third countries.”