Turkish Airlines has announced the resumption of its flights to Damascus, Syria, marking the end of a more than decade-long hiatus. The move signals a significant step in rebuilding ties between Turkey and Syria, which had been strained by years of conflict.
The CEO of Turkey’s national carrier, Bilal Eksi, confirmed that flights will operate three times a week, starting from January 23. “We are returning to Damascus,” Eksi stated in a post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
This development follows a high-profile visit earlier in the day by Syria’s new foreign minister, Asaad al-Shaibani, to Ankara. Al-Shaibani held talks with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other senior Turkish officials, discussing the normalization of bilateral relations and avenues for cooperation.
Turkish Airlines suspended flights to Syria in 2011 due to the onset of the civil war, which severely impacted the country’s infrastructure and international relations. The decision to resume flights reflects recent diplomatic efforts to foster reconciliation and rebuild economic ties between the neighboring nations.