Türkiye's intelligence chief visits Syria's capital Damascus - media

Türkiye's National Intelligence Organization (MIT) chief Ibrahim Kalın visited Syria's capital Damascus.

Kalın prayed at the historic Umayyad Mosque, one of the most significant religious landmarks in the city, amid heavy security measures, Caliber.Az reports citing Turkish media.

A video released shows Kalın walking through the mosque's historic gallery, surrounded by armed guards, while onlookers film him with their mobile phones.

He is expected to hold meetings with Syria's anti-regime commander Ahmed al-Sharaa, better known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani and Syria's new interim prime minister Mohammed al-Bashir.

Earlier, the Qatari TV channel Al Jazeera reported that Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and the head of National Intelligence Organisation, Ibrahim Kalın, had arrived in Damascus. A spokesman for Türkiye 's Foreign Ministry denied the claims that Fidan was in Syria, confirming that the minister was actually in Ankara.

By Vafa Guliyeva