Chicago – December 22, 2024
Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, met with Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Damascus on Sunday to discuss rebuilding the country after years of war and the end of Bashar al-Assad’s rule.
The two leaders emphasized the importance of unity and stability in Syria and called for lifting all international sanctions to aid recovery efforts.
Photographs released by Turkey’s ministry showed Fidan and al-Sharaa warmly greeting each other with hugs and handshakes. The meeting followed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s announcement that Fidan would visit Damascus to address Syria’s future.
At a joint press conference, Fidan reaffirmed Turkey’s support, saying, “We will continue to stand by your side. Hopefully, Syria’s darkest days are over, and better times are ahead.”
He urged the international community to lift sanctions on Syria “as soon as possible” and called for global efforts to help rebuild the nation and enable displaced Syrians to return home. Both leaders expressed hope for a brighter future for the war-torn country.
