Türkiye appoints ambassador to Damascus after 13-year hiatus

President Recep T ayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday appointed Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yılmaz as Türkiye's new ambassador to Damascus, marking the first such appointment in 13 y ears.

The announcement was published in the Official Gazette with Erdoğan's signature.

Turkish National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler received Yılmaz and congratulated him on the post.

Yılmaz thanked Erdoğan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan for his appointment.

"Drawing strength from the deep human and cultural ties that have existed for centuries between Türkiye and Syria, we will strive to develop our relations in a way that upholds the principles of good neighborliness and contributes to peace and stability in our region," Yılmaz wrote on US social media company X.

"I have personally witnessed the support Türkiye has provided to the Syrian people during their most difficult days. From now on as well, as the Turkish state, we will continue working together with our Syrian brothers and sisters to shape the welfare, tranquility, and shared future of our peoples," he added.

US Ambassador to Türkiye and US Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said he looks forward to working closely with Yılmaz as the newly appointed ambassador begins his "historic" mission in Syria.