Turkish FM holds key meeting with Syrian leader in Damascus

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has held a meeting in Damascus with leader of Syria's new authorities Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Julani.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry confirmed the meeting and released a corresponding photo. However, no details about the discussions were disclosed, Caliber.Az reports per Russian media.

On December 20, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan informed journalists that the Turkish foreign minister is scheduled to visit Syria in the near future. President Erdogan also stated that Türkiye will assist Syria's new authorities in establishing governance institutions, drafting a constitution, and initiating consultations on these issues with their leader. On December 21, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan confirmed the upcoming visit during an interview with France 24 TV channel, though he did not specify the dates.    

On November 27, armed opposition groups launched a large-scale offensive against Syrian army positions in Aleppo and Idlib provinces. By the evening of December 7, they had captured Aleppo, Hama, Daraa, and Homs. On December 8, they entered Damascus after Syrian government forces withdrew from the city. Bashar al-Assad resigned from his position as president of Syria and fled the country.

On December 10, Mohammed al-Bashir, who had led the opposition-formed Salvation Government in Idlib province since January 2024, announced his appointment as the head of the Syrian government for the transitional period, which will last until March 1, 2025.

By Naila Huseynova