Turkish president’s son Bilal Erdogan visits Damascus, prays at Umayyad Mosque
Turkish delegation including President Erdogan's son Bilal Erdogan visiting Umayyad Mosque in Damascus. Feb. 28, 2025. (Photo via X).
Syrian media reported that Bilal Erdogan, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s son, visited Syria and prayed with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus on Friday.
According to Step News, a Syria-based news outlet, Bilal Erdogan, accompanied by a high-level Turkish delegation, traveled to Syria to perform Friday prayers. The Turkish delegation included figures like former Technology Minister Mustafa Varank, former Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul, and Gaziantep Mayor Fatma Sahin.
On Feb. 4, Sharaa made his first official visit to Ankara, where he met with President Erdogan as well as Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and National Intelligence Organization (MIT) head Ibrahim Kalin. Both Fidan and Kalin had previously visited the Umayyad Mosque for prayers during their interactions with the Syrian leadership.
Erdogan’s son visits before the president
Bilal Erdogan’s visit to Syria also included several significant stops. Before the Friday prayers, Bilal Erdogan and the Turkish delegation, visited historical sites such as the tomb of Salah al-Din Ayyubi and the cemeteries of Turkish martyrs.
Following the assumption of power by Syria’s new leadership, many wondered if President Erdogan would visit Syria, as it remained unclear whether he would make the trip himself.
