Turkey may build two military bases in Syria and deploy F-16 fighters there, anonymous Arab sources have said, reports Turkish pro-government Turkiye daily.

Israel is building military bases in Syria and in the buffer zone of the Golan Heights, The Washington Post had earlier reported, citing satellite photos and an expert.

“According to Arab sources, Turkey and Syria will sign an agreement on joint defense. According to the agreement, which is expected to be signed in the near future, Ankara will provide assistance to Syria if Damascus faces a sudden threat. The agreement also stipulates that the Turkish armed forces will train the Syrian army and its pilots, and Turkey will establish two military bases in Syria. Turkey will deploy 50 F-16 fighter jets to these bases until the establishment of the Syrian Air Force, in order to prevent any attack that may be directed against the country’s sovereignty,” Turkiye wrote.

Officials have not yet commented on this information.

Turkiye added that the new Syrian administration has asked Turkey for drones, radars, and electronic warfare systems to monitor the border with Israel.

“The government in Damascus, whose main request from Ankara is drones, wants radars, electronic warfare, and integrated security systems to be deployed on the border, in addition to Turkish drones, especially in the context of monitoring Israeli drones in the Israeli border corridor,” Turkiye noted.

Also, the daily wrote, citing a representative of the Syrian defense ministry, that the first delivery of these drones could take place in the near future.