Turkish Embassy Reopens in Damascus After 12-Year Hiatus
The Turkish flag was raised at Türkiye’s embassy in Damascus on Saturday, marking the resumption of operations after 12 years, CE Report quotes Anadolu Agency
The embassy, closed in 2012 due to escalating violence in Syria, has reopened with Burhan Koroglu, Türkiye's ambassador to Mauritania, serving as acting charge d’affaires. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan assigned Koroglu to the role last Thursday.
Located near Rawda Square in Damascus, the embassy initially continued limited operations after the Syrian regime's violent crackdown on protesters in 2011. However, it suspended all activities on March 26, 2012, with staff and their families returning to Türkiye.
The reopening follows the recent collapse of Bashar al-Assad's regime. Assad, who ruled Syria for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on December 8 after anti-regime groups seized control of Damascus, ending the Baath Party’s decades-long rule. Meanwhile, Syria’s Consulate General in Istanbul has continued its operations without interruption.
