In a surprising diplomatic move, Turkey’s top officials, including the foreign minister, defense minister, and intelligence chief, made an unexpected visit to Damascus on Thursday. This comes shortly after the Syrian interim government announced a landmark agreement to assimilate the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by the U.S., into the Syrian army.
The integration deal follows intense fighting between loyalists of the deposed Syrian leader Bashar Assad and Syrian government forces last week. This conflict led to the deaths of hundreds of civilians mostly from the Alawite minority, Assad’s own religious community.
Syria’s acting president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly a rebel leader, met with the visiting Turkish delegates which included Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defense Minister Yasar Guler, and National Intelligence Chief Ibrahim Kalin. Turkey’s ambassador to Syria, Burhan Koroglu, was also part of the delegation.
According to the Turkish news site DHA, an anonymous official from the Turkish Ministry of Defense mentioned that the visit’s purpose was to review “how the integration will be enforced and its impacts on the ground.” He emphasized that Turkey’s stance on certain issues regarding Syria remains unchanged.
The Turkish official reiterated, “Our position demanding the cessation of terrorist actions in Syria, the disarmament of terrorists, and the expulsion of foreign militants from Syrian territories remains firm.” Currently, Turkey identifies the SDF and its military branch, the People’s Protection Units, as terrorist organizations due to their affiliations with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party.
Interestingly, as this diplomatic engagement unfolded, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was honoring former Syrian fighter pilot Ragheed Ahmad al-Tatari, who was recently released after 43 years of imprisonment under the regimes of Syrian presidents Hafez and Bashar al-Assad. This award for “benevolence and kindness” was presented at an event organized by a Turkish religious foundation.
Al-Tatari, imprisoned since 1981 due to controversial reasons such as his alleged refusal to bomb Hama and not reporting a military defection, was freed by opposition forces last December. During his incarceration, he endured time in infamous prisons known for political detentions.
Praising al-Tatari, Erdogan stated he embodied the spirit of resilience and integrity, calling him “the brave Syrian pilot who listened to his conscience.” This accolade highlights the geopolitical complexities and humanitarian aspects interwoven in the Syrian civil conflict and regional partnerships.
