ANKARA, July 23 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian interim government has requested Türkiye's assistance to strengthen its defense capabilities in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) and other terrorist groups, Türkiye's semi-official Anadolu Agency reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed sources from the Turkish Defense Ministry.
"In response to this request, our efforts to provide support in the form of training, consultation, and technical aid are ongoing," the ministry's officials told Anadolu following a weekly press briefing.
The sources also reaffirmed Türkiye's commitment to Syria's territorial integrity, regional stability, and the fight against terrorism.
"Türkiye's top priority is to support Syria's political unity and territorial integrity and to lead efforts toward achieving lasting peace in the region," the sources added.
There has been no official comment from the Syrian interim government regarding the reported request.
Türkiye, a key supporter of the Syrian interim government, has established a significant military footprint across northern Syria since 2016 through cross-border operations aimed at pushing back the People's Protection Units, a Syrian Kurdish military force. ■
