Syrians hopeful for future after 13-year civil war: Turkish President Erdogan

By Merve Berker

ANKARA (AA) — Syrians today are hopeful for the future after 13 years of civil war in their country, Türkiye's president said on Saturday.

"(For the first time) In years, people are smiling on the streets of Aleppo, Homs, and Damascus. After 13 years, our Syrian brothers and sisters are looking to their future with hope," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a local congress of his Justice and Development (AK) Party in the eastern province of Erzurum.

Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power in Syria since 1963.