Damascus prepares for Turkish president's visit

Damascus is making preparations for the anticipated visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, following significant changes in Syria.

A delegation from the State Airports Authority and Turkish Airlines recently arrived in Damascus to conduct thorough inspections, Caliber.Az reports citing Turkish media.

The team also carried out checks at Aleppo International Airport.

Sources suggest that Erdogan may visit the Umayyad Mosque within the next 15 days. In addition to this, the Turkish president is expected to hold a meeting with HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa and engage with Syrian Turkmen during his visit.

To ensure the safety of the Turkish president, an emergency air and ground security perimeter will be established along the Hama, Homs, and Idlib borders. Furthermore, Turkish radars will be activated to monitor all air traffic in the region.

The decades-long reign of the Assad family in Syria came to a dramatic and sudden halt on December 8, when rebel forces captured Damascus following a swift and unexpected offensive across the country.

Hassan Abdul-Ghani, a senior commander of the militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), announced the victory, revealing that the rebel forces stormed through Syria at an astonishing pace, entering Damascus overnight.

The rapid advance forced Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to flee the country and relinquish the presidency, effectively bringing an end to the regime that had ruled Syria for over 40 years.

By Vafa Guliyeva