Turkish embassy in Syria reopens after nearly 13 years

Turkey is reopening the republic's embassy in Damascus after 13 years. This was announced by Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a speech in the city of Erzurum on December 14.

A video posted on CNN Turk's X (former Twitter) page shows the country's flag flying up the flagpole above the Turkish embassy.

"Years later, people are laughing in the streets of Aleppo, Homs and Damascus. After 13 years, our Syrian brothers are looking to the future with hope," TRT Haber TV channel quoted Erdogan as saying.

Erdogan said Turkey has done the right thing in the context of the Syrian conflict despite the opposition's provocations. He called it a great good that the Turkish side helped Syrian refugees by opening its borders.

"We have fulfilled our duty of brotherhood and good neighborliness and came out of the test of humanity with a clean slate and with our heads held high. Today we are commissioning our embassy in Damascus. We will support the Syrian people with all our strength to rebuild Syria," the Turkish leader added.

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Turkey's diplomatic mission in Syria was terminated in March 2012 due to a sharp deterioration in bilateral relations and security concerns on the Turkish side.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan reported on Dec. 10 that Turkey has started working on opening an embassy in Damascus.

On December 8, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had resigned as head of state after negotiations with the opposition and left the country, instructing to carry out the transfer of power peacefully.

The situation in Syria escalated as a result of a major attack by armed formations in Aleppo and Idlib, which began on November 28 and led to the Syrian army's retaliation against the militants.