Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with Syria’s de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, in Damascus on Sunday, according to a statement from Turkey’s foreign ministry. The ministry did not disclose additional details about the meeting.

Photographs and video released by the ministry show Fidan and Sharaa, the leader of the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which led the operation to depose Bashar al-Assad two weeks ago, walking ahead of a large delegation before pausing to pose for photos. The footage also captures moments of the two leaders shaking hands, embracing, and smiling.


On Friday, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan announced Turkey’s intention to support Syria’s new administration in forming a state structure and drafting a new constitution. He added that Fidan would travel to Damascus to discuss these developments, though no specific date was provided.

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan meets with Syria’s de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, in Damascus, Syria, December 22, 2024. Turkish Foreign Ministry/Handout via REUTERS

Fidan’s visit occurs against the backdrop of ongoing clashes in northeast Syria between Turkey-backed Syrian forces and the Kurdish YPG militia. The YPG leads the U.S.-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and is regarded by Ankara as a terrorist organization.