Syria’s foreign ministry has declared that the normalization of relations with Turkey is contingent upon Ankara’s withdrawal of its troops from Syrian territory. This statement follows recent pronouncements from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has expressed openness to reconciling ties with Syria and even suggested a potential meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Erdogan’s overtures come after years of strained relations between the two countries, which deteriorated following the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011. Turkey initially supported Syrian rebel efforts to overthrow Assad but has shifted its stance in recent years, engaging in Russian-mediated talks with Damascus.
However, Syria’s demands for the withdrawal of Turkish troops, which have been deployed in northern Syria to combat Kurdish forces, highlight the significant hurdles that remain in the path of reconciliation. Turkey has launched multiple offensives across the Syrian border to expel Kurdish forces, leading to the establishment of pro-Turkish controlled zones in northern Syria.
The Syrian foreign ministry’s statement emphasizes that any attempt to restore ties must be anchored in concrete actions, including the complete withdrawal of Turkish troops and the suppression of terrorist groups that threaten both Syria and Turkey. The statement underscores that Syria’s security concerns are paramount in any dialogue on normalization.
Diplomatic relations between Syria and Turkey were severed at the outset of the Syrian civil war, which erupted in response to a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests. The conflict has spiraled into a protracted and devastating war involving numerous foreign actors and jihadist groups, resulting in the tragic deaths of over half a million people.
