Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan speaks during a joint press conference with the US Secretary of State at the Ministry headquarters in the Turkish capital Ankara on Dec. 13, 2024. (Credit: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP)
Turkey on Saturday reopened its embassy in Damascus after a 12-year closure, a week after rebels toppled longtime leader Bashar al-Assad, an AFP journalist said.
The Turkish flag was raised over the diplomatic mission in the presence of the new charge d'affaires Burhan Koroglu, the journalist said.
Representatives of the rebels' transitional government were present at the ceremony at the embassy in the capital's Rawda district, which also hosts other diplomatic missions.
An Islamist-led rebel alliance launched a lightning offensive on Nov. 27, sweeping swathes of territory from government control and taking the capital on Sunday.
Turkey has long supported rebel groups in Syria.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Friday that Koroglu and staff had left for Damascus and the embassy would be "operational" the following day.
The Damascus embassy closed on March 26, 2012, a year after Syria's civil war began, due to the deteriorating security situation amid calls by the Turkish government for Assad to step down.
Koroglu was previously Turkey's ambassador to Nouakchott, Mauritania.
It was not immediately clear how long he would hold the post in Damascus.
Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin was in Damascus on Thursday, Turkish television channels reported.
Turkey on Saturday reopened its embassy in Damascus after a 12-year closure, a week after rebels toppled longtime leader Bashar al-Assad, an AFP journalist said.
The Turkish flag was raised over the diplomatic mission in the presence of the new charge d'affaires Burhan Koroglu, the journalist said.
Representatives of the rebels' transitional government were present at the ceremony at the embassy in the capital's Rawda district, which also hosts other diplomatic missions.
An Islamist-led rebel alliance launched a lightning offensive on Nov. 27, sweeping swathes of territory from government control and taking the capital on Sunday.
Turkey has long supported rebel groups in Syria.
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