Erdogan, Assad set to meet at Türkiye-Syria border Decade-long wait ends

The first meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in over a decade is set to occur at a border crossing this August.

The initial plan was for the meeting to take place in Iraq, Caliber.Az reports via a Turkish government-affiliated newspaper.

However, Ankara now aims to hold the meeting at the Kasab/Yayladagi checkpoint on the Türkiye-Syria border.

The newspaper reports that preparations are progressing rapidly, with a joint photo of the two leaders potentially emerging in August. Additionally, intelligence agencies from both countries conducted at least three meetings in July as part of efforts to normalize relations.

This announcement comes after numerous media speculations about their possible meeting.

Türkiye and Syria have experienced fluctuating relations, with periods of cooperation and tension. The relationship deteriorated significantly during the Syrian Civil War, which began in 2011, leading to Turkish military operations in northern Syria.

Despite the ongoing complexities in their relationship, there have been various diplomatic efforts to normalize ties, including high-level meetings and discussions aimed at resolving conflicts and improving bilateral relations.