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Turkey's Foreign Minister meets Syrian rebel leader in Damascus amid tensions
23 December,2024 03:01 PM
On December 22, Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with Abu Mohammed al-Golani, leader of the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, in Damascus. Al-Golani played a key role in efforts to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. During the meeting, Fidan and al-Golani embraced and posed for photos. Turkish President Erdogan stated that Turkey would support Syria in forming a new government and writing a new constitution. For years, Turkey backed rebels against Assad and now wants to help rebuild Syria, especially as millions of Syrian refugees live in Turkey. Fidan's visit came amid ongoing fighting between Turkey-backed fighters and the Kurdish YPG militia in northern Syria. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are struggling to maintain their power after Assad’s fall.