A Turkish delegation led by the head of Turkish intelligence (MIT), İbrahim Kalın, is visiting the Syrian capital, Damascus, today, according to reports in international media and photos circulating on social media.
Turkey’s move is far from unrelated to the developments in the region. The fact that Recep Tayyip Erdoğan instructed Kalın to undertake this high-risk maneuver amid highly fluid conditions highlights Ankara’s intentions.
NEW: Turkish Intel Chief Kalın is indeed in Damascus, he visited the Umayyad mosque and reportedly prayed there. pic.twitter.com/aiuJXh3LDZ
— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) December 12, 2024
Accompanying the MIT chief on this trip from Turkey to the Syrian capital is the country’s foreign minister, Hakan Fidan. Instead of engaging in prayers, Fidan held meetings with Al-Shaara and HTS, which has taken control of Syria in the past few days.
Ankara deliberately chooses to engage more deeply in Syria, this time adopting an official political and diplomatic approach, introducing new dynamics to the table. Turkey’s move is undoubtedly one that the U.S. and Israel were not informed of—at least not prior to its execution—indicating Erdoğan’s calculated strategy, methods, and aspirations for involvement in shaping the region’s future.
وصل وفد تركي-قطري إلى دمشق يضم وزير الخارجية التركي هاكان فيدان ورئيس جهاز الاستخبارات إبراهيم قالن ورئيس جهاز أمن الدولة القطري خلفان الكعبي برفقة فريق استشاري موسّع وسيُعقد الاجتماع مع القائد العام لغرفة التنسيق العسكري أحمد الشرع ورئيس الوزراء السوري محمد البشير. pic.twitter.com/QAmZJiQCPs
— وزارة الإعلام السورية (@moi_syria1) December 12, 2024
Turkey’s actions may also represent the first step toward acknowledging the current state of affairs in the region, despite Ankara’s overt support for the Syrian National Army (SNA), which has frequently been involved in battles to control northern and eastern parts of Syria over the past 11 years. The fact that senior Turkish officials were received by HTS representatives underscores the pressure Ankara faces to deliver even temporary answers to the Syrian people—something it struggles to achieve through official channels, as HTS remains on the West’s terrorism blacklist, freezing humanitarian aid to such regimes.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Turkish Intelligence Chief Ibrahim Kalin in Damascus #Syria_is_liberated #Sednaya_Prison pic.twitter.com/5VWJ6jwuN7
— Hamaad حماد (@ashrafhamaad) December 12, 2024
Turkey’s move will undoubtedly prompt reactions from Israel and the U.S., but it clearly demonstrates Erdoğan’s readiness and preparedness to capitalize on developments, using his sharp reflexes to exploit them effectively.
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