ISTANBUL/DAMASCUS/LONDON – Turkey’s intelligence agency MIT requested last month that Britain’s MI6 take a bigger role in safeguarding Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa following recent assassination plots, five sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The appeal underscores allies’ urgency to stabilise Syria 15 months after Bashar al-Assad’s overthrow, amid sporadic violence and regional tremors from the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. Sharaa, a former rebel commander, is seen as vital to averting sectarian strife or civil war relapse after 14 years of conflict that displaced millions and empowered Islamic State.
The militants, branding Sharaa their “number one foe”, escalated attacks last month on Syrian forces, declaring a “new phase”. Turkey, the U.S., and Britain backed Sharaa last year to unify the nation of 26 million; London and Washington have lifted most sanctions on Syria and his ex-group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
Sources, including Syrian and foreign officials speaking anonymously due to sensitivity, cited mounting fears over IS plots. A Turkish source said MIT sought MI6 help after one incident; a Syrian security official described a “high-risk” plot, with agencies sharing intelligence constantly. Details remain unclear.
A Western intelligence source suggested Turkey aims for a Western buffer in Damascus amid its tensions with Israel. Last year, the U.N. reported five foiled IS attempts on Sharaa and ministers; Reuters noted two in November. On Thursday, Damascus confirmed MIT coordination thwarted a capital bomb plot by three militants.
A U.S. diplomat linked the request to IS resurgence. MI6 might ramp up joint planning or tech ops, but no British personnel deployment is decided, a Syrian source called it “highly risky”. The topic arose at a February 26 Damascus meeting between UK envoy Ann Snow and Syria’s deputy interior minister.
Sharaa, once Al Qaeda’s Nusra Front commander, broke ties in 2016 and led Islamists to topple Assad in late 2024.