Qatar on Saturday, December 21, officially reopened its embassy in the Syrian capital Damascus after nearly 13 years, Anadolu reports.
The development came exactly a week after Turkiye raised its flag at its embassy in the Syrian capital Damascus as the mission resumed operations after a 12-year hiatus, becoming the first country to do so since the end of Bashar al-Assad’s rule on December 8, 2024.
Muslim News gathered that the Qatari flag was also raised at the embassy building on Saturday, which resumed operations in the Syrian capital following the fall of the Assad regime.
Khalid al-Khalid, a local resident, expressed his happiness over the embassy’s reopening.
He noted that Qatar was one of the countries that supported the Syrian revolution the most, saying: “I hope other countries will also reopen their embassies.”
Al-Khalid emphasized the need for Syria to receive international support, noting: “We want Arab countries to stand with us.”
Another citizen, Nour Ghaith, also expressed gratitude for Doha’s support of the revolution.
Ghaith said that the reopening of the embassy would contribute to Syria’s progress toward becoming a safe place, with hopes that those who had fled would return.
She added that she was pleased about the embassy’s reopening, as it would aid in Syria’s reconstruction.
Qatar closed its embassy in Damascus in July 2011, following attacks by supporters of Bashar al-Assad’s regime. These attacks were a response to the coverage of the Syrian Revolution by Qatar-based Al Jazeera television, which began in March 2011.
Bashar Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963.
Turkiye
The Turkiye embassy, which had suspended operations in 2012, officially reopened on Saturday, December 14, with Burhan Koroglu, Ankara’s ambassador to Mauritania, as acting charge d’affaires.
Located near the city’s Rawda Square in an area with the diplomatic missions of many other countries, the Turkish embassy continued to provide its services for a time after the government’s violent crackdown on peaceful protesters in 2011.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said in an interview with broadcaster NTV on Friday, December 13, “We want to see a terror-free Syria, where minorities are not mistreated. We want an inclusive government in Syria.” He also said that Syrians currently in Turkey will begin to return home in greater numbers as the situation stabilises further.
The embassy reopening occured on the same day that top diplomats the United States, the Arab League and Turkey met in Jordan to discuss how to assist Syria’s transition after the fall of Bashar Assad’s government a week ago.
No Syrian representatives attended the meetings, though US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said American officials have been in direct contact with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Syrian insurgent group that led the overthrow of al-Assad’s government, which is currently considered a foreign terrorist organisation by the US.
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