ISTANBUL — On Thursday, commercial air travel resumed between Turkey and Syria after a hiatus of 13 years, marked by a Turkish Airlines flight from Istanbul to Damascus.

Turkish news outlets featured scenes of Syrian families wrapped in their national flag, singing pro-opposition anthems, and cheering as they prepared to board flight TK0846. The festive mood continued onboard as passengers sang “Hold your head up high, you are a free Syrian,” with some individuals visibly emotional as they awaited takeoff.

“I missed Syria and am thrilled to be flying back,” shared Fuad Abdulhalid, who has spent the past 12 years in Turkey.

Nail Beyazid, another passenger, expressed optimism as he prepared to revisit his homeland for the first time since fleeing the conflict. “We are overjoyed that Syria has been liberated, and things are looking promising,” Beyazid remarked. He reminisced about past possessions, saying, “We had a house, a factory, and even cars, all of which are gone now. We’re returning to see what remains.”

With the swift rebel advances leading to the ousting of Syrian President Bashar Assad just a month earlier, both Arab and Western nations that had severed diplomatic ties with his regime are now reestablishing connections with Syria’s new authorities, predominantly led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

Earlier this month, the first international commercial flight since Assad’s removal landed in Damascus, operated by Royal Jordanian Airlines.

As a crucial ally to Syria’s new governance, Turkey has signaled its commitment to invest in the nation’s economy and assist with its struggling electricity and energy infrastructures.

Turkish Airlines’ CEO, Bilal Eksi, announced plans for the airline to operate three flights weekly between Istanbul and Damascus. This development followed a visit to Ankara from Syria’s foreign minister, Asaad al-Shibani, who engaged in discussions with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other government officials.