Turkey is asserting itself as the main player in the shaping of Syria’s future, sending a top official to Damascus and restarting diplomatic relations after more than a decade.
Ibrahim Kalin, the head of the Turkish intelligence agency, made a symbolic visit to the landmark Umayyad Mosque in the Syrian capital on Thursday, surrounded by crowds. On Sunday, rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, previously known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, delivered a victory speech marking the overthrow of former President Bashar Assad at the same mosque.
Turkey has a strong incentive to help forge a stable and peaceful Syria out of the ruins of the Assad regime, not least because the country hosts at least 3 million refugees from its southern neighbor. Turkish companies would also stand to benefit if and when postwar reconstruction starts. Turkey’s own ruling party hails from the country’s Islamist movement, and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been a supporter of similar parties in the region.
