Türkiye reopens border gate for safe, voluntary return of Syrian migrants Closed since 2013

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that Türkiye is reopening its Yayladagi border gate with Syria to facilitate the safe and voluntary return of the millions of Syrian migrants it currently hosts. 

President Erdogan made these remarks, following the sudden ouster of President Bashar al-Assad by rebels, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media. 

In what is being hailed as one of the most significant shifts in the Middle East in generations, rebels captured Syria's capital, Damascus, and Assad fled to Russia, after more than 13 years of civil war and over 50 years of his family's authoritarian rule. 

"We are opening the Yayladagi border gate to crossings to prevent any congestion and ease traffic," Erdogan said, addressing reporters after a cabinet meeting in Ankara.

The Yayladagi crossing, located near Syria's northwest border, has been closed since 2013 due to fighting in the area. 

"We will also manage the processing of immigrants' voluntary returns in a way befitting our hosting," Erdogan added. 

Earlier, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that Türkiye would work to ensure the safe and voluntary return of the Syrian migrants it has hosted. 

Türkiye, which has denied any involvement or support for the offensive by Syrian opposition forces it has backed against Assad, reiterated on Sunday that it wants the new Syrian administration to be inclusive and that Syrians should determine their own future.

In a speech at the Turkish Ambassadors' Conference in Ankara, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that Türkiye is ready to support Syria's reconstruction and is working closely with all "regional actors and parties." 

He emphasised that Ankara will stand by Syrians in this "new phase" in Damascus, but stressed that groups such as Islamic State and the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which Türkiye regards as terrorist organizations, must not exploit the situation. As the host of approximately 3 million Syrian migrants and refugees, Türkiye remains the largest recipient of Syrians who have fled the civil war. It also controls large areas of northern Syria following several cross-border operations against the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which Ankara views as a branch of the PKK. 

On December 9, shares in Turkish construction and cement companies rose sharply, driven by expectations that they will benefit from Syria's rebuilding efforts.

By Naila Huseynova