Syrian Soldier Confirms Turkish Troops Were Present at Israeli-Struck Abu al-Duhur Airbase

A rare firsthand account from a Syrian soldier stationed near the Abu al-Duhur airbase in Idlib surfaced on social media, revealing details about the Israeli airstrike on the base last week. The soldier, whose video was likely recorded a day after the attack and translated by Dr. Chai Eitan Cohen Yanrogak from Alma Center, stated that both Syrian and Turkish troops were present at the base. He said, "We were attacked last night by Israel. We are in Syria, and there are Turkish soldiers here alongside Syrian soldiers - the army of the Muslim nation."

The soldier added that Israel had been monitoring the Turkish presence at the base for months using drones and deliberately targeted the site to prevent the expansion of Turkish forces. This testimony contradicts official Turkish denials and confirms Turkish military presence at the base in recent months. The soldier, believed to be of Turkish origin and possibly a former jihadist who joined the Syrian army under the new regime, affirmed that Israel’s strike aimed to curb Turkey’s growing influence in the area.