Azerbaijan begins gas exports to Syria via Türkiye Photo

Azerbaijan has begun exporting natural gas to Syria through Türkiye, marking a significant step in efforts to restore the war-damaged Syrian power sector and bolster Türkiye’s role as a regional energy hub. The first deliveries were inaugurated at a ceremony in the Turkish border province of Kilis.

The inauguration of the Kilis–Aleppo border pipeline took place on August 2 in the village of Yavuzlu, Kilis province, attended by senior officials from Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Qatar and Syria, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

Azerbaijan’s Minister of Economy, Mikayil Jabbarov, Türkiye’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, Qatar Development Fund chief Fahad Hammad Hassan Al-Sulaiti, and Syria’s Minister of Energy, Mohammed Al-Bashir, were among those present.

After speeches, the officials symbolically turned a valve installed on the stage to signal the start of gas flows from Azerbaijan to Syria via Türkiye.

The launch follows a recent agreement between the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and the Syrian government. Under the deal, all technical preparations for the project have been completed.

In its initial phase, the pipeline is expected to transport 1.2 billion cubic metres of natural gas annually to Syria.

The gas, delivered through Kilis, will supply power plants in Aleppo and Homs, enabling the generation of an estimated 1,200–1,300 megawatts of electricity.

Officials say the new supply will make a major contribution to repairing Syria’s damaged electrical infrastructure.

The project is also seen as reinforcing Türkiye’s ambition to position itself as a key regional energy hub.

The agreement was formalised on July 12 during the working visit of Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa to Azerbaijan. 

A memorandum of understanding was signed in Baku by SOCAR Supervisory Board chairman Mikayil Jabbarov and Syrian Energy Minister Mohammad Al-Bashir.

By Aghakazim Guliyev