Head of Turkish Intelligence Visits Damascus to Meet Syrian President Ahmad Al-Shara

Damascus – Ibrahim Kalin, head of Turkish intelligence, arrived today, Wednesday, in the Syrian capital Damascus for his second visit of this kind in recent months to meet with Syrian President Ahmad Al-Shara.

Kalin previously visited Damascus last May, where he held talks with Al-Shara and senior Syrian officials focused on Syria’s territorial unity, sovereignty, and political stability, according to security sources.

SDF Integration and Negotiations with Israel

Anadolu Agency reported that the current visit addresses the issue of integrating elements of the “Syrian Democratic Forces” (SDF) into the Syrian army after disarmament, amid stalled negotiations between Damascus and the SDF, despite ongoing communication between the two parties.

The visit also comes as the Syrian government confirms that discussions are underway, mediated by the United States, to reach a security agreement with Israel aimed at restoring calm in southern Syria and ensuring Israeli withdrawal from the buffer zone.

Syrian-Turkish Cooperation

Months ago, Damascus and Ankara signed a security agreement to train Turkish forces within the Syrian army, with Ankara affirming its military and political support for Syria, preserving the country’s unity, and integrating all armed factions into the army, including the SDF.