Twelve years after the closure of its embassy in Damascus, Turkey has its diplomatic return to Syria. This resumption, formalized on Saturday December 14, intervenes in a context marked by the fall of the regime of Bashar al-Assad, overthrown on December 8 by an armed coalition.
The Turkish flag floats again in the courtyard of the embassy, located in the Rawdah district, known to house several diplomatic missions. Burhan Koroglu, a former Turkey ambassador to Mauritania, was appointed acting chief of mission and will direct this reopened embassy after more than a decade of inactivity.
This decision, long anticipated by Ankara, reflects a major strategic development. During a television interview, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan confirmed the reactivation of the diplomatic mission and underlined Turkey’s commitment to accompany Syria in its reconstruction. A few days before the reopening, a Turkish delegation had already taken up residence in Damascus to relaunch the activities of the embassy.
Closed since March 2012 following the escalation of the Syrian conflict, the Turkish Embassy had symbolized the deep disagreement between Ankara and the Syrian regime. Support displayed with rebel factions opposed to Assad, Turkey had withdrawn after the intensification of violence.
