Syria has entered a “new era” after anti-regime forces toppled longtime ruler Bashar Assad in a lightning advance, Türkiye said Monday, pledging unwavering support for the Syrian people at a time of uncertainty.
In one of the biggest turning points for the Middle East in generations, anti-regime forces seized the Syrian capital, Damascus, and Assad fled to Russia following 13 years of civil war and more than 50 years of his family’s brutal rule.
Türkiye, which said it gave no support and had no involvement in the offensive led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), said on Sunday it wanted the new Syrian administration to be inclusive and for Syrians to determine their own future.
In an address to the Turkish Ambassadors' Conference in Ankara, Fidan said Türkiye was ready to provide support for Syria's rebuilding and that it was coordinating with all "regional actors and parties."
"We expect international actors, especially the United Nations, to reach out to the Syrian people and support establishing an inclusive administration,” Fidan said.
He emphasized that it has always been stated from the outset that a permanent solution, peace and stability in Syria can only be achieved through national reconciliation.
Recalling that the Assad regime had not taken steps to reconcile with its people despite all efforts and opportunities, Fidan said: "A new era has begun in Syria, and now it is time to focus on the way forward."
"In the coming period, we want Syria to be where different ethnic and religious groups live with an inclusive understanding of governance and peace. We want to see a new Syria with ties with its neighbors, adding peace and stability to its region," he said.
"We will continue our work to ensure the safe and voluntary return of Syrians and for the country's reconstruction," Fidan said.
He added that Ankara believes the Syrian people will make good use of this golden opportunity but said terrorist groups like Daesh and PKK/YPG must be prevented from “benefiting from the current situation.”
"We will resolutely continue all our efforts for this," he underscored.
The YPG, the PKK’s Syrian offshoot, has sought to exploit the anti-regime offensive to expand its occupation in northern Syria, but its efforts have largely been thwarted by the Syrian National Army (SNA), which fought off its invasion in Tal Rifaat and Manbij regions.
Turkish airstrikes regularly target the PKK/YPG hideouts in northern Syria to prevent the formation of a “terror corridor” along the borders and Ankara often warns the group, is a threat to Syria’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Fidan also said Türkiye would work for the safe and voluntary return home of Syrian migrants it hosts.
Türkiye is home to over 3 million Syrian migrants, making it the biggest host of Syrians who have fled the civil war. In safe zones it helped establish in northern regions of Idlib and Afrin, Ankara has built fully equipped homes and bolstered destroyed infrastructure to house returning citizens.
Syrians in Türkiye took to the streets to celebrate Assad’s defeat on Sunday while hundreds flocked to the Hatay border to return to their homes after years.
Pointing out that Syria has once again demonstrated how long-term and patience-demanding diplomacy is, Fidan said that Türkiye has been advocating what it believes is right for 13 years, both in bilateral relations and on multilateral platforms.
Fidan emphasized that while others abandoned the Syrians, Türkiye stood by them as the country shouldered every difficulty in realizing justice, regional peace and stability. He added: "While undertaking our diplomatic initiatives, we have sincerely demonstrated that we not only seek our national security and peace but also desire peace and prosperity for our region."
