Turkey officially reopened its embassy in Syria on Saturday, less than a week after Damascus fell to an armed coalition, marking a significant diplomatic shift.
Turkey had closed its embassy in Damascus on March 26, 2012, following the escalation of the Syrian civil war and amid deteriorating security conditions © Mena Today
Turkey officially reopened its embassy in Syria on Saturday, less than a week after Damascus fell to an armed coalition, marking a significant diplomatic shift.
The Turkish flag was raised at the embassy, located in the Rawdah district, a neighborhood known for housing many diplomatic missions. The reopening ceremony was attended by Burhan Koroglu, the newly appointed head of mission.
The Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan had announced on Friday that the embassy team and the newly appointed head of mission had traveled to Damascus.
The reopening of the Turkish embassy is part of Turkey's commitment to reestablish its diplomatic presence following the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad. Koroglu, who was previously Turkey’s ambassador to Nouakchott, Mauritania, has now taken on the role of charge d'affaires in Syria.
Turkey had closed its embassy in Damascus on March 26, 2012, following the escalation of the Syrian civil war and amid deteriorating security conditions.
At the time, the Turkish government had called for President Bashar al-Assad's resignation and had supported Syrian rebel groups fighting against his regime.
Turkey’s support for the opposition and its backing of the Syrian rebels made it a key player in the effort to topple Assad. The reopening of the embassy follows the fall of Assad's government, which Turkey celebrated on December 8. The move is seen as part of Turkey's broader realignment in the region.
The Turkish intelligence chief, Ibrahim Kalin, visited the Syrian capital on Thursday, a notable development covered by Turkish media. Kalin's visit signals a deepening of Turkey's engagement with the new authorities in Syria, marking a significant shift in diplomatic relations.
The reopening of Turkey's embassy in Syria is a milestone in the country's diplomatic efforts to normalize relations following nearly a decade of conflict.
The United Nations Development Programme is hoping to deliver $1.3 billion over three years to support war-ravaged Syria, including by rebuilding infrastructure and backing digital start-ups, its assistant secretary-general told Reuters.
The U.S. military will consolidate its presence in Syria over the coming weeks and months in a move that could reduce the number of troops it has in the country by half, chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said on Friday.
yrian Air, the state-owned airline of Syria, has announced the resumption of its direct flights to Dubai and Sharjah, marking a significant development in the gradual normalization of ties between Syria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
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