Turkish envoy says naval cooperation with Syria expanding

Turkish Ambassador to Damascus Nuh Yilmaz said on Tuesday that cooperation between Türkiye and Syria is expanding into the naval domain, as a high-level military delegation visited the Port of Latakia where Turkish vessels were docked. The delegation, led by Naval Forces Commander Adm. Ercument Tatlioglu, traveled to the Syrian port at the invitation of Syrian Navy Commander Brig. Gen. Mohammed Al-Saud.

The visit took place on Monday, according to Türkiye's National Defense Ministry, which announced that vessels affiliated with the Turkish Naval Forces Command had paid a port call to the facility. Turkish warships including the TCG Istanbul were present during the engagement, as confirmed by the ambassador's office.

Naval cooperation emphasized

"Cooperation and solidarity between Türkiye and Syria are also developing in the naval field," Yilmaz said in a post on X, noting his satisfaction with the progress. The ambassador added that Tatlioglu's delegation also met with Al-Saud during their time in the coastal city to discuss bilateral maritime coordination.

"We were proud to host our military delegation led by Admiral Ercument Tatlioglu," Yilmaz stated. "TCG Istanbul (one of the ships that took part in the visit) made us proud in Latakia," he added. The diplomatic mission released details of the meeting as part of ongoing efforts to normalize relations between the two neighbors.