Syria Enters New Era as Aftermath of War Brings Hope and Challenges
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivered a powerful message of solidarity to the Syrian people, affirming that Turkey will stand by Syria “until it is on solid ground.”
Erdogan’s declaration came during a press conference where he reflected on the fall of the Assad regime, describing it as a dictatorship that ran the country with injustice and oppression for over six decades.
He held that citizens of Aleppo, Homs, Hama, and Damascus were finally reclaiming their stolen homeland. Erdogan asserted that Turkey never sought to seize Syrian lands but only aimed to ensure regional security. He emphasized that Turkey extended a hand of Dialogue to the Assad regime, but it declined.
“Today, the dark phase in Syria came to its end, the bright phase has begun,” Erdogan proclaimed, reassurance to a new dawn for Syria.
While Erdogan underscored Turkey’s unwavering support for the Syrian people, he specified clear expectations: “Syria is for the Syrians only, not for terrorist organizations,”
Erdogan articulated, emphasizing that Syrians remain in control of their destiny.
He emphasized that Turkey was committed to supporting the return of Syrian refugees, “We recall the difficult test Turkey went through. We hosted Syrian Refugees and defended the oppressed on all platforms. Now, Turkey supports the return of refugees to their homeland under the right conditions.”
The rapid fall of the Assad regime was swiftly followed by the announcement that the Syrian opposition forces had entered the capital, Damascus, marking the culmination of a series of blistering victories in the recent days. Al Jazeera carried reports, confirming that Engineer Muhammad al-Bashir, who has led the Syrian Salvation Government in Idlib, will be tasked with the momentous undertaking of forming a new government to guide Syria through this delicate transitional phase.
How might different stakeholders, such as opposition groups within Syria and neighboring countries, react to Turkey’s shift in posture towards the Assad regime? [[1](https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/07/world/syria-rebellion-middle-east-power-explainer-intl/index.html)]
**Host:** Joining us now is dr. amara Said, a Middle East expert at the Institute for Global Affairs. Dr. Said, President erdogan’s words paint a picture of hope and change for Syria. However, some might see Turkey’s involvement as more complex.How do you think this news will be received, especially in the context of Turkey’s long-standing role in the Syrian conflict?
