Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan sees potential in the future following the overthrow of Assad.
This is reported by Foreign Affairs writer Gonul Tol, author of the book "Erdogan's War: The Struggle for the Stronghold in Syria" and director of the Turkish program at the Middle East Institute.
The main player among the Syrian rebels who dismantled Assad's regime was the group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a Sunni organization that was once affiliated with Al-Qaeda. Turkey has long supported HTS, despite the group's designation as a terrorist organization. The presence of Turkish troops in northwestern Syria and economic ties have helped HTS maintain control over the Idlib province and, ultimately, strengthened Ankara's position in the new political landscape.
Turkish assistance to HTS began to bear fruit when Erdoğan authorized an operation that led to the rapid collapse of Assad's regime. The lack of support from Assad's major allies, such as Russia and Iran, created an ideal moment for Turkey to act, which is now poised to capitalize on its investments in the Syrian opposition. This also addresses the issue of Syrian refugees, whom Turkey has long sought to repatriate, as well as forge new agreements with the U.S., with which relations have been strained due to support for Kurdish forces.
However, despite Erdoğan's optimism, the situation in Syria is far from straightforward. A power transition may be accompanied by chaos, and a new government led by Islamists could pose additional challenges, including threats to the rights of women, minorities, and Kurds. The risk of a resurgence of the Islamic State also increases, as it may attempt to exploit the period of chaos to regain its foothold. For Turkey, this could mean new threats from terrorist groups.
Source: foreignaffairs.