Turkey is next stop in Syrian Foreign Minister Al Shibani’s regional tour

Ankara had cut diplomatic ties with the Assad regime in 2011

Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shibani is to visit Turkey on Wednesday, marking the first official trip since president Bashar Al Assad’s ousting. EPA

Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shibani said he would visit Turkey on Wednesday, on the first official trip to the country since the Hayat Tahrir Al Sham-led rebels toppled former president Bashar Al Assad last month.

“We will represent the new Syria tomorrow in the first official visit to the Turkish republic, which has not abandoned the Syrian people for 14 years,” Mr Al Shibani said in a post on X on Tuesday.

Turkey cut diplomatic ties with the Assad regime in 2011 after it cracked down on anti-government protests, causing the country's civil war. Ankara backed the rebels against Mr Al Assad and has maintained working ties with HTS. Alongside Qatar, Turkey was among the first countries to re-open its embassy in Damascus after the takeover by groups led by HTS, a former Al Qaeda affiliate.

About three million Syrians fled the country to Turkey, its northern neighbour, at the start of the conflict but many still remain cautious before returning to their homes.

Turkey carried out three major cross-border military operations in Syria, in 2016, 2018 and 2019, to oust Kurdish militias that Ankara views as a national security threat along its southern border. Turkish troops have also carried out patrols to maintain de-escalation zones brokered between Ankara and Assad allies Iran and Russia in northern Syria in 2017, and a ceasefire between them that came into force three years later.

Both the HTS-led government in Damascus Turkish-backed Syrian fighters oppose Kurdish militias maintaining territorial control of north-eastern Syria, where they expanded rapidly during and after operations against Islamic State between 2014 and 2017. Operations in these areas are likely to top the agenda of Mr Al Shibani's visit.

Last week, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Ankara was “reviewing and rethinking” its military and civilian presence in Syria. “We have to reconsider and rethink the modality of our presence there. This is being done right now. Parallel to the steps taken by the new government, Turkey is also reviewing its relations with Syria – the framework, nature and content of its relations,” Mr Fidan said in response to a question from The National at a press briefing in Istanbul.

Countries in the region and beyond have reached out to the new Syrian administration led by HTS chief Ahmad Al Shara since the rebel group took power last month.

Mr Al Shibani has already visited Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Jordan since the start of the month. The foreign ministers of Italy, France and Germany have visited Damascus as Western nations re-establish ties with Syria.