The Turkish Army has begun to build a military base in the Menagh Air Base in the northern Aleppo countryside. The airport was previously under Russia’s control before Moscow withdrew its forces from Syria last year.
#Turkey starts building a military base in the village of Menagh in #Aleppo northern countryside, northwestern #Syria.
Siwar Hamo – North Press pic.twitter.com/XWONgFncSI
— NORTH PRESS AGENCY – ENGLISH (@NPA_English) March 17, 2025
According to a report last week by the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), there has been a “large-scale military mobilization by Turkish forces” along with an extensive deployment of mine engineering teams in the villages of Mar’anaz, Al-Alqamiyah and Menagh, in northern Syria.
“This step reflects Ankara’s efforts to strengthen its military influence in the region,” SOHR warned.
Last month Turkey officially denied reports claiming its army intended to establish two new military bases in the country. A senior Turkish official instead claimed Ankara was working on a “roadmap” to address the security and defense needs of the new Syrian regime of Ahmad al-Shara’a.
“As per the requests of Syria’s new administration, we are working on a joint roadmap to strengthen the Syrian army and implement concrete steps in this regard,” the official stated, according to Kurdistan24.
A report by Bloomberg, however, cited Turkish officials who confirmed that Turkey was mulling the establishment of military bases in Syria as well as supplying weapons and offering military training to the new Syrian Armed Forces.
Turkey Tightening its Grip on Northern Syria
This past January, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned on Wednesday at a Justice and Development (AK) Party meeting that “all countries should get their hands off Syria.”
“Israel and all others attacking in Syria must end their aggressive actions at once,” Erdoğan said. “Otherwise, there will be negative consequences that will affect everyone.”
Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement shortly afterwards, saying, “Israel completely rejects the statement of the Turkish President.
“The aggressive imperialist actor in Syria (as well as in northern Cyprus, Libya, and other areas in the Middle East) is Turkey itself, and it is advisable for the Turkish president to avoid unnecessary threats,” the ministry warned.
A Turkish military presence in Syrian territory could present a real threat to the State of Israel.
Last summer (July 28, 2024) Erdoğan threatened to invade the State of Israel during a conference of his Justice and Development (AK) party, following an Iranian-backed Hezbollah attack on northern Israel that killed 12 children in the Druze town of Majdal Shams.
“We must be very strong so that Israel can’t do these things to Palestine,” he said. “Just as we entered Karabakh, just as we entered Libya, we might do the same to them. There is nothing we cannot do. Only we must be strong,” Erdoğan said.
Turkey has long had eyes on a gradual annexation of northern Syrian territory. Two years ago, military sources in northern Syria revealed the intention of the Turkish Army to build two military bases in Aleppo province, near the Deir Balut and al-Ghazawieh crossings connecting Aleppo to Idlib province, the Iranian MEHR news agency reported.
