Turkish Airlines to resume flights to Damascus after 13-year hiatus

Turkish Airlines has announced it will resume air services between Türkiye and Syria’s capital, Damascus, after a 13-year break.

The airline’s CEO, Bilal Ekşi, shared the news on social media platform X, confirming the airline’s plans to operate three flights per week, Caliber.Az reports via Turkish media.

The first flight between Istanbul and Damascus is scheduled for January 23, Ekşi stated. The flights will connect Istanbul to Damascus, marking the return of regular air travel between the two cities after a long interruption.

Flights between Türkiye and Syria were suspended in 2012 due to escalating conflicts in the region. However, recent developments have allowed for the resumption of air services. Damascus International Airport, which had been closed for nearly a month following the change in Syria’s political landscape, resumed operations on January 7.

The resumption of flights coincides with ongoing military and political developments in Syria. On November 28, armed Syrian opposition groups launched a significant offensive against government forces in Aleppo, ultimately capturing control of Aleppo, Homs, Hama, and Damascus. This led to widespread speculation regarding the future of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Assad decided to resign as president and left Syria, reportedly instructing for a peaceful transfer of power. It was later revealed that Assad, along with his family, had travelled to Moscow, where Russian President Vladimir Putin granted him asylum.

By Tamilla Hasanova