Media: Erdoğan to head high-level delegation to Syria, boosting investment ties

Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan will visit Syria at the head of a large delegation, including ministers responsible for investments.

The timing of Erdoğan’s visit to Damascus is not specified, but a transitional government in Syria is expected to be formed swiftly, Caliber.Az reports via Hürriyet.

“President Erdoğan will travel to Damascus with a high-level delegation to bolster ties, particularly in the area of investments,” columnist Abdulkadir Selvi wrote.

Erdoğan said after a cabinet meeting on December 23 that Türkiye remains in close contact with Syria’s new administration and intends to provide significant support.

He stated that the frequency of visits by Turkish officials to Syria is expected to increase, building on recent trips by İbrahim Kalın, Türkiye's intelligence chief, and Hakan Fidan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

To recap, on December 22, 2024, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan visited Damascus for a significant meeting with Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Julani, the militant leader of the primary group leading the Syrian opposition.

Fidan expressed Türkiye’s readiness to assist in the rebuilding of Syria’s state institutions, emphasizing the importance of lifting sanctions to help the country's recovery.

He also called for the disarmament of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and other terrorist groups operating in Syria to ensure long-term stability. 

On November 27, armed opposition groups launched a large-scale offensive against Syrian army positions in Aleppo and Idlib provinces. By December 7, they had seized control of Aleppo, Hama, Daraa, and Homs.

The following day, opposition forces entered Damascus after Syrian government troops withdrew, leading to President Bashar al-Assad's resignation and flight from the country.

On December 10, Mohammed al-Bashir, leader of the opposition-formed Salvation Government in Idlib, was appointed as the head of the transitional Syrian government, which will govern until March 1, 2025.

By Aghakazim Guliyev