Turkey’s Defence Minister Yasar Guler stated that the country will maintain its military presence in Syria and Iraq until border security with both neighbours is fully established. In a written response to AFP, Guler explained that the status of Turkish base areas and regional presence will be reconsidered once necessary conditions for regional and border security are met. This approach reflects a strategy focused on long-term stability rather than immediate withdrawal.
According to Al-Monitor, Turkey has maintained troops in northern Syria and Iraq for years to contain threats from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and Islamic State (IS) militants. The situation has shifted over the past two years following the fall of Bashar al-Assad and the emergence of a new Ankara-allied government in Syria. Guler noted that Turkey has established close security coordination with the new Syrian government, with troops working to strengthen the capacity of the Syrian military and ensure border security.
When the Assad regime fell, a Turkish official stated that between 16,000 and 18,000 troops were deployed in northern Syria. Since then, reliable figures for troop deployments have been scarce, although talks are currently underway to determine their legal status. Guler indicated that troop numbers in both Iraq and Syria are assessed in proportion to operational needs, rather than being fixed by specific personnel counts. He emphasized that force structure is shaped by threat levels and border security developments.
In northern Iraq, where troops have been based since 2015, an Iraqi security source told AFP that the current deployment numbers between 800 and 1,000 personnel. As the peace process with the PKK advances, Kurdish militants recently withdrew from four key bases in northern Iraq, a move confirmed by Turkish intelligence. Guler stated that the progress of this process does not mean security measures have been relaxed, with troops continuing to take necessary measures against perceived threats.
Turkey is also monitoring Iraq’s efforts to disarm militia groups and bring them under state control, particularly in the Sinjar region. Following recent successes, Turkey announced it would gradually hand control of its Bashiqa base near Mosul to Baghdad, though no specific timeline was provided. Guler added that Turkey plans to elevate military and security cooperation with Iraq to a higher level in the coming period.