Erdogan declares "new reality" in Syria as rebels advance toward Damascus

On December 7, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that there was now a new reality in neighbouring Syria, where Türkiye has long supported opposition forces and carried out incursions against Kurdish forces that it regards as terrorists.

He was speaking as Syrian rebels entered suburbs of the city of Homs, sources said, opening a path to Damascus in a lightning advance as front lines collapse and government forces battle to save President Bashar al-Assad's 24-year rule, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

"There is now a new reality in Syria, politically and diplomatically. And Syria belongs to Syrians with all its ethnic, sectarian and religious elements," Erdogan said in a speech in the southern Turkish city of Gaziantep.

"The people of Syria are the ones who will decide the future of their own country."

Ankara has for years supported Syrian opposition forces looking to oust the Iran and Russia-backed Assad.

"As Türkiye, our wish is for our neighbour Syria to quickly regain the peace, stability and tranquillity it has been longing for 13 years," he added.

He added that the best way for the region to deal with the situation would be for "responsible actors and all international organisations" to support the preservation of Syria's territorial integrity.

A main concern of Türkiye is the presence in northern Syria of the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which it regards as a terrorist group, closely tied with militants in Türkiye who have fought a 40-year insurgency against the Turkish state.

By Khagan Isayev