Turkey pledges support for Syrian rebuild, closes border to terror
The President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, announced that his country will take all necessary steps to ensure stability in Syria. The politician emphasised that his country will vigorously support the rebuilding of Syrian cities and counteract the influx of terrorists.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared that Ankara aims to assist Syria, now liberated from Assad's regime. He stressed that Turkey will not allow new terrorist elements to cross the Syrian borders.
During a government session, Erdogan announced the reopening of the Yayladagi border crossing, which has been closed since 2013, to facilitate the return of Syrian refugees. He emphasised that Ankara will support Syrians in rebuilding the country.
Erdogan on Syria: "Protection against new sources of terrorism"
The President explained that Turkey's cross-border operations were aimed at preventing terrorism. Actions that could lead to territorial expansion were not considered.
Erdogan expressed hope that the stabilisation in Syria will lead to an increase in the voluntary return of refugees. Currently, there are 2.9 million Syrians in Turkey, although initially, there were 4.5 million. According to the Polish Press Agency, at the Cilvegozu and Oncupinar border crossings, Syrians are already gathering, eager to return to their homeland.
At the onset of the civil war in 2011, Turkey accepted the largest number of Syrian refugees. However, as economic conditions worsened, Ankara began to limit its influx over time.
The Polish Press Agency reports that Turkey regarded Bashar al-Assad's regime as the main enemy. Erdogan criticised Assad for "state terrorism." After 24 years, Bashar al-Assad's rule concluded last weekend.
Rebels captured the capital, Damascus, and declared the overthrow of the regime. This marks the beginning of a new era for Syria and the Middle East.
