After the Syrian people, it is Turkey that has emerged as the biggest winner from the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December. As soon as Assad fled to Moscow, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan knew that fate had played into his hands.
As far back as March 2012, Turkey broke off diplomatic relations with Assad. But within a few days of the regime’s overthrow it had reestablished its diplomatic representation in Syria, and Turkey’s foreign minister, Hakan Fidan, and the head of Turkish intelligence, Ibrahim Kalin, were in Damascus visiting Abu Mohammed al-Julani, leader of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the victorious rebel movement.
Turkey was able to share the joy and elation of the Syrian people because it had long supported HTS, as well as other Syrian opposition forces that aimed to replace Assad’s regime. With the ascent of HTS and its leader Julani, Erdogan knew that he was well placed to play a pivotal role in shaping Syria’s future governance and policies, and – he doubtless hoped – align them with Turkish strategic objectives. (Read More)
