In a landmark diplomatic move, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Damascus on Sunday, signaling a potential shift in relations between the two nations. The meeting took place after Syria’s longtime leader, Bashar al-Assad, was ousted following a rapid military offensive. While the Turkish Foreign Ministry did not reveal the specific location of the meeting, state media showed Fidan and al-Sharaa exchanging greetings, underscoring the significance of the encounter.
Turkey, a key backer of Syrian opposition forces during the civil war, has long opposed Assad’s regime. Since the conflict began in 2011, Ankara has provided support to rebel groups and hosted millions of Syrian refugees. This shift, marked by high-level visits from Turkish officials, comes as Syria’s political landscape evolves following Assad’s fall.
Fidan’s visit follows a trip by Turkey’s spy chief, Ibrahim Kalin, to Damascus earlier in December, only days after Assad’s ouster. Kalin’s visit was notable as it came just after the swift changes on the ground, with footage showing him leaving Damascus’s Umayyad Mosque. Despite Turkey’s past backing of anti-Assad forces, Fidan emphasized that claims by US president-elect Donald Trump regarding an “unfriendly takeover” of Syria by Turkey were unfounded.
This diplomatic thaw between Turkey and Syria could be seen as part of broader regional shifts, as Turkey seeks to recalibrate its foreign policy in response to changes in Syria’s power dynamics. With the removal of Assad, the future of Syrian governance and Turkey’s role in it remains uncertain, but this meeting marks a pivotal moment in what could be a new era of Turkish-Syrian relations, potentially paving the way for cooperation on issues like security, refugees, and regional stability.
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