Turkish FM meets HTS head in Damascus
This marks the first such diplomatic engagement between the two sides since the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime.
Dec. 22, 2024
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – On Sunday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan paid a visit to Damascus and met with Ahmed al-Shara (Abu Mohammed al-Jolani), the head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS),
This marks the first such diplomatic engagement between the two sides since the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime.
Ahmed al-Sharaa is fast becoming the face of post-Assad Syria and the Turkish Foreign Minister’s meeting could further legitimize the status of al-Sharaa as Syria’s new leader.
The high-level meeting signifies an important change in Turkish-Syrian relations.
It is chiefly noteworthy as it constitutes the first visit by a Turkish foreign minister to Syria in the post-Assad era.
Before the meeting, al-Sharaa had stated that his administration was committed to strengthening strategic ties with Turkey, citing Turkey's noteworthy role in hosting and supporting Syrian refugees.
"The future Syrian government will improve its strategic relations with Turkey, recognizing their crucial support in hosting the largest number of refugees and providing humanitarian assistance," al-Sharaa stated.
This diplomatic meeting marks a likely new chapter in Turkish-Syrian relations, signifying a move toward increased regional cooperation.