Syrian leader Assad abandons demand for Turkish troop withdrawal for normalization

Positive developments are emerging in the Türkiye-Syria normalization process, expected to occur under Russian mediation. Syrian regime leader Bashar Assad’s openness to discussing counterterrorism with Türkiye has been followed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s suggestion of renewing past family meetings with Assad, signaling potential diplomatic progress.

Most recently, it has been reported that Assad has abandoned his demand for the withdrawal of Turkish troops from Syria as a precondition for normalization.

After Erdogan’s significant remarks on the normalization process with Syria during his return from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Leaders Summit in Kazakhstan, stating that he could invite Assad and Russian President Vladimir Putin to Türkiye, the London-based Arabic publication Al Majalla reported, “Assad has changed his stance on the Turkish military withdrawal as a prerequisite for normalization. Political dialogue does not require the withdrawal of Turkish troops from Syria.”

Türkiye has conducted cross-border operations against the PKK/YPG terrorist organization, which aims to establish a state in Syria. The presence of Turkish soldiers in these operation areas was seen as an obstacle to normalization by Syria. However, Türkiye maintains that it conducts operations within the framework of its right to self-defense under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter and consistently emphasizes its support for Syria’s territorial integrity.

It is suggested that Assad, instead of insisting on the withdrawal of Turkish troops, is inclined to collaborate with Türkiye to ensure his country’s territorial integrity and cooperate with Ankara in the fight against the PKK/YPG terrorist organization.