Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati received in Ankara on Wednesday by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (Credit: The Serail's X account)
This question gains legitimacy in light of recent international and regional assessments of the events in Syria, which identify Turkey and Israel — along with the Americans — as the primary beneficiaries. Given the tendency of many Lebanese factions to seek external support to bolster their internal standing, this sudden interest in Turkey can be seen as an effort to align with the prevailing ‘winds of influence.’However, a closer look reveals that Turkey's influence in certain regions of Lebanon, particularly among Sunni communities, has been steadily growing for years. Since the outbreak of the Syrian war in 2011 and Turkey's opposition to the Assad regime, Ankara has expanded its presence in Lebanon, focusing on areas like Tripoli and Akkar. Read also In Iraq, Assad regime’s fall could limit Iranian militias' influence Initially,...
This question gains legitimacy in light of recent international and regional assessments of the events in Syria, which identify Turkey and Israel — along with the Americans — as the primary beneficiaries. Given the tendency of many Lebanese factions to seek external support to bolster their internal standing, this sudden interest in Turkey can be seen as an effort to align with the prevailing ‘winds of influence.’However, a closer look reveals that Turkey's influence in certain regions of Lebanon, particularly among Sunni communities, has been steadily growing for years. Since the outbreak of the Syrian war in 2011 and Turkey's opposition to the Assad regime, Ankara has expanded its presence in Lebanon, focusing on areas like Tripoli and Akkar. Read also In Iraq, Assad regime’s fall could limit Iranian militias' influence ...