The Ministry of National Defense said the claim that foreign elements within the SDG, which is in the process of being dissolved in Syria, would head to Türkiye did not reflect the truth.
The ministry said it was closely monitoring the process with a focus on preserving Syria’s territorial integrity and strengthening the principles of one state and one army in the country. It urged the public not to rely on reports and posts other than official statements.
SDG’s integration into Syrian institutions
SDG leader Mazloum Abdi announced that the organization had been dissolved at a press conference he held on August 25 at the People’s Palace in Damascus. Abdi also said that the SDG would be fully integrated into Syrian state institutions.
General secretariat for the Mecca Defense Alliance
The Ministry of National Defense also announced that the defense and foreign ministers and chiefs of staff of Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had met in Istanbul on August 31, 2026.
The meeting discussed steps to give cooperation under the alliance a more institutional structure. It was decided to establish a general secretariat in Saudi Arabia to carry out the alliance’s secretariat functions.
Representatives of the three countries will assume the position of secretary-general on a rotating basis. During the first term, the position will be held by a secretary-general from Pakistan for three years.
President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed a joint defense agreement in Mecca on August 7.
