Head of Muslim scholars’ body hails Turkish president after fall of Syria’s Assad regime

By Esra Tekin

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Secretary-General of the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) hailed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday for his efforts following the fall of Syria’s Assad regime.

Ali Mohammad Al-Sallabi prayed for President Erdogan, praising him on his social media account.

"President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Türkiye is a blessing from Allah to the Turkish people and to defenseless populations. O Allah, elevate his name among those who bring reform,” he said.

“The sun of freedom is shining in Syria, and we pray to Allah to grant them security, stability, justice and peace,” he added, noting that the Syrian people have liberated the country with unity and discipline.

"The guilty have fled and the regime has fallen. Free Syrians are entering Damascus, declaring victory,” he added.

After a period of relative calm, clashes between Assad regime forces and anti-regime groups reignited on Nov. 27 in rural areas west of Aleppo, a major city in northern Syria.

Over 10 days, opposition forces launched a lightning offensive, capturing key cities and then on Sunday the capital, Damascus. The rapid advance, supported by defecting military units, led to the collapse of the Assad regime after 13 years of civil war.