Informed sources have revealed to Middle East Eye that Turkey has begun work to establish a presence at the Tiyas air base (also known as T4) near Palmyra in Syria’s Badiyah and is preparing to deploy air defense systems in the area, with reports circulating that construction work has begun at the site and a Turkish special forces team entered the base on the evening of April 1. Meanwhile, talks are ongoing between Ankara and Damascus over a defense deal, under which Turkey will provide air cover and military protection to the new Syrian government.
The source added that the strategic Tiyas base will be equipped with an S-400 and Hisar-O+ air defense system to provide air cover. The base will then be renovated and expanded, with the construction of new facilities and the deployment of drones for surveillance and attack, some with short-, medium- and long-range attack capabilities (Akinci and Aksungur). The source added that control of the base would grant Turkey air superiority in the region and strengthen its operations against ISIS cells deployed in the Syrian desert, a key condition for the United States to consider a withdrawal from the region.
On the evening of April 1, villagers around the Palmyra regions, near the Tiyas base, witnessed the entry of a special team of Turkish forces into the military airport, but there are no official images or confirmations. Local sources suggest that the advance of the Turkish force coincides with yesterday’s power outage, as this is a common occurrence in Syria.
Ankara and Damascus have reportedly been negotiating a defense deal since December, following the overthrow of the former government of Bashar al-Assad, under which Turkey will provide air cover and military protection to the new Syrian government. Although Turkish officials have previously called any Turkish military presence in Syria “premature,” negotiations have continued quietly, with Ankara seeking to use the withdrawal of Russia and Iran to fill the security vacuum and stabilize the country using its military might. One source said the presence of Turkish air defenses and drones at the strategic T4 base would likely deter Israel and prevent it from carrying out air strikes in the area.
Just a few days ago, Israel conducted air strikes on Palmyra, sending a clear message to Turkey against any territorial advances towards its borders. Tel Aviv has been sharing its concerns with the United States for months about the expansion of Turkish influence in Syria in political, economic and military aspects. Perceived as a threat close to its borders, Israel has been pushing ahead with its plan to build a buffer zone in southern Syria for months.
With the creation of a Turkish air defense system at the Tiyas base, the geopolitical context could follow a different course than expected. In other words, it is plausible to assume that the United States could strengthen its alliance with Turkey, a member of NATO, which is consolidating its military presence in the Syrian Badiyah region, a strategic area for the protection of regional airspace and for launching attacks against external actors. Given the recent information on an imminent US attack against Iran, as a warning signal about its nuclear capabilities, it is likely that Washington will use Syria as an international strategic hub, taking advantage of the collaboration with Ankara. A complex game of alliances is thus emerging: on the one hand, the United States could support Ankara from an anti-Iranian perspective; on the other, questions arise spontaneously about the alliance between Washington and Israel and its stability. Undoubtedly, we can assert that tensions between Ankara and Tel Aviv will grow so much as to cause further instability in the region.
Elisabetta Papa and Cristina Uccello
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