Protests broke out Monday (July 1) in the northern Syrian city of El Bab, an area under control of Turkey and its Syrian allies. These developments come amidst statements from Damascus and Ankara in recent weeks indicating a diplomatic thaw may be imminent. Diplomatic relations between the two countries have been severed since 2012.
Videos circulated on social media throughout the day Monday showing large mobs attacking Turkish military vehicles, burning Turkish flags, and attacking Turkey-controlled government buildings in the northern Syrian city of El Bab.
The city has been under the control of Turkey and its local Syrian allies, the Syrian Interim Government, since 2017, when it was captured and incorporated into Turkey’s northern Syria buffer zone.
The images on social media provoked strong reactions from those on both sides of the political aisle, with some users criticizing Turkey’s long-running occupation of northern Syria while others expressed outrage at the desecration of Turkish flags in the city.
The events in El Bab followed major riots in the central Anatolian city of Kayseri on Sunday evening, where large Turkish mobs attacked Syrian-owned homes, businesses, and cars following reports that a Syrian national had sexually abused a 7-year-old child in the city.
Rumors of normalization
Rumors of a long-awaited diplomatic thaw between Ankara and Damascus have gained momentum in recent weeks, as reports emerged that normalization had been discussed in a June 26 meeting between Syrian President Bashar Al Assad and Russia’s Middle Eastern Special Representative Alexander Lavreniev. In the meeting, Assad was quoted saying he was open to “all efforts regarding the Turkey-Syria relationship”.
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While Turkey’s withdrawal from occupied territories in northern Syria is likely to be a major topic in any normalization talks, it remains to be seen what the withdrawal conditions would look like and whether Damascus would even be willing to enter negotiations with the Turkish military still occupying Syrian territory.
Syria had previously requested Turkish withdrawal as a prerequisite for any talks, although some in recent weeks have speculated that this demand may be relaxed, especially with Russia working as mediator.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has recently expressed openness to a normalization process and said Turkey has “no interest in interfering in Syria’s domestic affairs.”
Written/translated for Medyascope by Leo Kendrick
