Erdogan Calls Syrian Revolution ‘Historic Opportunity’ for Türkiye

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday called the Syrian revolution a “historic opportunity” for Türkiye and the region, pledging to achieve the country’s goal of becoming terror-free.

Speaking at the Administrators’ Day program in Ankara, Erdogan said: “With the Syrian revolution, a historic window of opportunity has opened both for our country and our region. We will realize our ideal of a terror-free Türkiye,” The Caspian Post reports, citing Turkish media.

Erdogan emphasized that the events taking place in Syria, with which Türkiye shares a 910 km-long (565 miles) border, are of particular concern.

“The images of brutality reflected from Sednaya Prison have shown us what kind of inhuman mentality has prevailed in Syria for years," he said, adding that new "horrifying" reports surface every day.

Aside from human losses, Erdogan highlighted the extensive damage caused by Syria's 13-year conflict, estimating losses exceeding $500 billion. “Our teams visiting Syria report the situation is much worse,” he added.

Pointing out that the reconstruction of Syria requires a comprehensive rehabilitation, the president said long-term strategies are critical for this process.

Syria needs time to recover, as well as the support of the Arab and Islamic world, he added.