A high-level Turkish-Syrian military meeting on the sidelines of the Saha 2026 exhibition
Defense Minister Mirhav Abu Kasra met with the Chief of the Turkish General Staff Selçuk Bayrakdaroglu in Istanbul, on the sidelines of their participation in the activities of the SAHA 2026 International Exhibition for Defense, Aerospace Industries.
The Turkish General Staff said that the meeting brought together the two sides as part of their participation in the defense exhibition currently held in Istanbul, attaching the post with photos from the meeting, without revealing additional details about the files discussed.
SAHA 2026 is one of the largest defence exhibitions in the region, with its current edition being held on an area of more than 400,000 square meters, with the participation of more than 1,700 local and foreign companies from more than 120 countries, in addition to tens of thousands of specialists and workers in the defense, aerospace and aerospace sectors.
The exhibition, which is organized by the Saha Istanbul Defense Industries Group once every two years, aims to raise the value of Turkish defense export contracts to at least $8 billion during this year's edition, compared to about $6.2 billion recorded in the 2024 edition.
Syrian Interior Ministry participates in the exhibition
In parallel with the military meeting, a delegation from the Ministry of Interior participated in the opening of the activities of the fourth edition of the Saha 2026 exhibition, and the ministry stated in a statement published on its official identifiers that the delegation toured the pavilions of a number of international companies specialized in defense industries and security equipment, where they were briefed on modern technologies related to defense systems and specialized security work equipment.
The ministry added that the delegation discussed with a number of international companies ways to exchange technical expertise, in addition to discussing the latest innovations in weapon systems and technical equipment that can contribute to the development of the field and administrative performance of security units.
According to the ministry, this participation comes within the framework of keeping pace with technological developments in the fields of security and defense, and working to modernize logistics and technical systems in accordance with modern standards.
Growing military ties between Damascus and Ankara
Military relations between Syria and Turkey have undergone an unprecedented transformation since the fall of the Assad regime in September 2024, and the first features of this transformation crystallized with the signing of the Military Cooperation Agreement in Ankara in August 2025, a comprehensive agreement aimed at developing the capabilities of the Syrian army and reforming the security sector.
The agreement includes the provision of armored vehicles, drones, air defense systems and Turkish-made missiles to Damascus, in addition to field training programs that actually began in October 2025 inside Turkish barracks, before the Syrian army participated for the first time in the international "IFS 2026" exercises, where it carried out live-fire exercises within joint units.
In May 2026, the cooperation expanded to include the maritime and technical field, with Ankara announcing the visit of a Turkish military barge to the port of Latakia on May 11, the first visit of its kind, with the aim of exchanging experiences with Syrian naval cadres, and the strategic objectives of this cooperation are centered on combating terrorism and rebuilding the Syrian army on foundations that rely technically and logistically on Turkish systems, in order to ensure common national security and reshape the military environment in the region.
Turkey supplies Syrian army with advanced systems
Since the beginning of 2026, the Syrian army has received batches of advanced Turkish weapons, as part of a military track aimed at modernizing its capabilities and enhancing its field readiness, and the "Saha Istanbul" exhibition formed a platform for announcing new deals, most notably the Bayraktar TB2 drones , which entered service in surveillance and border control missions, with negotiations to provide Damascus with the long-range Akenji model to enhance reconnaissance capabilities and precision strikes, in a move that reflects a qualitative shift in Syrian air capabilities.
The Syrian army has received mine-resistant Kirby II armored vehicles and Forkan armored vehicles used in joint patrols, along with growing interest in acquiring siege air defense systems and Coral electronic warfare systems, as part of Damascus' efforts to strengthen the deterrence equation.
The deals included precision munitions such as MAM-L and MAM-C intended for drones, as well as Damascus's desire to integrate Turkish SOM missiles into its arsenal. The track aims to build an army that is technically based on Turkish technology, facilitating "operational linkage" between the Syrian and Turkish militaries in the face of common threats on the border.