Damascus Tells Turkey Restoring Ties Requires End of ‘Occupation’

Turkish military vehicles enter Syria to take part in a joint patrol with Russian troops, in the countryside of the town of Derbassiye in Syria's northeastern Hasakeh province, on the border with Turkey, on July 14, 2021. (Photo by Delil SOULEIMAN / AFP) Photo by DELIL SOULEIMAN/AFP via Getty Images

The restoration of ties between Damascus and Ankara is contingent upon the latter ending its military presence in northern Syria, Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad says.

Since 2016, Turkey has staged three ground offensives into northern Syria, where it still maintains thousands of troops.