Turkey to Reopen Embassy in Syria After 12 Years

Turkey has announced the reopening of its embassy in Damascus, signaling a thaw in relations with Syria after more than a decade. The decision follows the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime earlier this year, marking a new phase in the region’s diplomatic dynamics.

Turkish Foreign Minister revealed that Burhan Khourawalu, the new chargé d’affaires, has been dispatched to Damascus. His team will oversee the reopening of the Turkish embassy and establish additional consulates in strategic Syrian cities.

Turkey closed its embassy in Syria on March 26, 2012, in protest against Assad’s government’s violent crackdown on opposition forces. However, a Syrian consulate in Istanbul remained operational on a limited scale throughout the conflict.

During the civil war, the Assad regime accused Turkey of providing aid to rebel groups, a claim Turkey strongly refuted. Ankara maintained that Assad’s unwillingness to implement democratic reforms led to his downfall.

This diplomatic step highlights Turkey’s efforts to engage with the new Syrian administration and restore stability in the region. Observers see this as a critical development in shaping post-Assad Syria’s foreign relations.