Turkey’s Erdogan renews push to restore ties with Syria that were severed over a decade ago

Associated Press

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated his willingness to restore ties with Syria and extended an “invitation” Sunday to bring back relations to “how they were in the past.” Over 12 years ago, diplomatic ties between Ankara and Damascus were cut off when protests turned into a civil war in Syria. Turkey had supported armed opposition groups in the northwest that aimed to oust Syrian President Bashar Assad from power. Last week, both indicated their readiness to end tensions and normalize diplomatic relations. Erdogan told journalists Sunday that in the past “we weren’t enemies with Syria.” This comes as the Turkish government faces increased pressure to repatriate millions of Syrian refugees.