Turkish Airlines to Resume Flights to Damascus, Confirmed by Officials Post Visit from Syria’s New Leadership

Turkish Airlines will restart flights to Damascus, Syria next week, after more than a decade of suspension, officials revealed on Wednesday. The announcement came after a delegation of Syria’s new, Turkey-backed rulers visited. CEO Bilal Eksi of Turkey’s national carrier disclosed that there would be three flights per week, beginning on Jan. 23. Turkey had previously declared the reopening of its embassy in Damascus following a 12-year closure. Officials indicated that the normalization process would gain momentum if sanctions are lifted, potentially allowing millions of Syrians to return to their homeland.