Chief of General Staff Metin Gürak held separate phone calls with his U.K. counterpart Tony Radakin and NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe Gen. Christopher Cavoli on Sunday to discuss the latest developments in Syria, according to a statement from the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK).
The details of the discussions were not disclosed, but it was reportedly claimed in the media that the military leaders focused on the new military framework in Syria in light of the Bashar Assad regime’s fall.
Türkiye, a prominent military force within NATO, continues to engage in high-level talks with NATO officials, especially in situations involving regional instability and conflict. The U.K., closely involved in the region, also engages in similar consultations.
The TSK’s role in NATO remains significant, with the country consistently maintaining strong military cooperation within the alliance.
Meanwhile, Syria witnessed a historic shift on Sunday as Syrian anti-regime forces seized the capital, Damascus, in a swift and largely uncontested advance. The opposition alliance, led by Hayat al-Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), drove Assad into exile in Russia, marking the end of 13 years of civil war and over six decades of the Assad family’s authoritarian rule.
The rapid fall of Damascus is considered a major turning point in the Middle East, with international governments welcoming the end of the Assad regime and beginning to assess the region’s new political landscape.