Turkey's embassy in Damascus reopened after 12 years

Duvar English

Turkey's embassy in Syria’s Damascus resumed work on Dec. 14 after 12 years, state-run Anadolu Agency reported. 

After the ouster of Bashar al-Assad by rebels, Turkey sent a new diplomatic delegation to Syria.

The Turkish flag was raised at the embassy, marking the resumption of embassy activities after 12 years.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Dec. 14 said, “Today we are opening our embassy in Damascus. We will stand by the Syrian people in the reconstruction and recovery of Syria.” 

The Turkish Embassy in Damascus, located near Rawda Square, continued its activities for a while during the Syrian civil war that started in 2011, but stopped its activities on March 26, 2012. The Syrian Consulate in Istanbul continued its activities during this period.

Following the latest developments in Syria, Turkey's Ambassador to Nouakchott, Burhan Köroğlu, was appointed as the Temporary Charge d'affaires of the Turkish Embassy in Damascus on Dec. 12.

Turkish intelligence chief İbrahim Kalın previously visited Damascus on Dec. 12, praying at the Umayyad Mosque, which was the dream of the AKP government back when the civil war in Syria first erupted. 

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