Turkish troops to stay in Syria, Iraq ‘until border security ensured,’ says defense minister

By AFP Today, 4:05 pm

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Turkey’s Defense Minister Yasar Guler poses as he arrives for a NATO Defense Ministers meeting at the NATO headquarters, in Brussels, on June 5, 2025. (NICOLAS TUCAT/AFP)

Turkey will keep its own troops in Syria and Iraq until border security with its two neighbors has been fully ensured, Defense Minister Yasar Guler tells AFP in an interview.

“We are maintaining our military presence in Iraq and Syria. When we assess that the necessary conditions have been met in terms of regional and border security, the status of our base areas and our presence in the region will be reconsidered,” he says in a written answer to AFP questions.