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In this handout photo released by the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, right, shakes hands with Syria’s new Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani prior to holding a press conference in Ankara, Jan. 15. [Turkish Foreign Ministry Press Service via AP]<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Turkey has emerged as one of the most influential power brokers in Syria after rebels toppled Bashar al-Assad last month, ending his family\u2019s brutal five-decade rule.<\/p>\n
NATO member Turkey is now in a position to influence its neighbor\u2019s future diplomatically, economically and militarily.<\/p>\n
Here are details of Turkey\u2019s connections with Syria and how it hopes to use its influence there.<\/p>\n
Why is Turkey important?<\/h3>\n
Turkey, which shares a 911 km (566-mile) border with Syria, was the main backer of rebel groups fighting under the banner of the Syrian National Army during the 13-year uprising against Assad. It cut diplomatic ties with Damascus in 2012.<\/p>\n
It is the biggest host of Syrians who fled the civil war, taking in some 3 million people, and is the main entry-point for aid.<\/p>\n
Since 2016, Turkey, with its Syrian allies, has mounted several cross-border military campaigns against Kurdish militants based in Syria\u2019s northeast that it sees as a threat to its national security.<\/p>\n
Syria\u2019s new administration, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a former al Qaeda affiliate, is friendly towards Ankara.<\/p>\n
What does Turkey want?<\/h3>\n
With its strong ties to Syria\u2019s new leadership, Turkey stands to benefit from intensified trade and cooperation in areas including reconstruction, energy and defense.<\/p>\n
Assad\u2019s fall has presented Ankara with a window of opportunity to try to end the presence of the Kurdish People\u2019s Protection Units (YPG) along its borders.<\/p>\n
Ankara views the YPG as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which has been waging an insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984 and is deemed a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.<\/p>\n
The YPG militia spearheads the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance, which is the United States\u2019 main local partner in the fight against Islamic State and controls swathes of territory in the northeast.<\/p>\n
Washington\u2019s longtime support of the Kurdish factions has been a source of tension with Ankara, but Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said he believes incoming US president Donald Trump will take a different approach.<\/p>\n
Trump has not said publicly what his plans might be but has said that he thinks \u201cTurkey is going to hold the key to Syria.\u201d<\/p>\n
Syria\u2019s de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, who heads HTS, has said he does not want Syria becoming a platform for the PKK to launch attacks against Turkey.<\/p>\n
As rebels led by Sharaa took control of Damascus last month, fighting flared between Turkish-backed and Kurdish-led forces in the northeast.<\/p>\n
The SDF has shown flexibility regarding some of Turkey\u2019s demands, telling Reuters last month that its foreign fighters, including PKK members, would leave Syria if Ankara agrees to a ceasefire.<\/p>\n
Intensive talks are underway to try to resolve the conflict in the region.<\/p>\n
What has Turkey said and done?<\/h3>\n
Turkey\u2019s intelligence chief, Ibrahim Kalin, was in Damascus days after Assad was ousted, and its top diplomat, Fidan, was the first foreign minister to visit. Turkey was also the first nation to reopen its embassy.<\/p>\n
Fidan has said that Turkey is proud to have been \u201con the right side of history\u201d in Syria but has no desire to \u201cdominate\u201d it.<\/p>\n
Turkey has promised to support Syria\u2019s reconstruction, offering to help rebuild infrastructure, draft a new constitution, supply electricity and resume flights.<\/p>\n
It hopes Syrians it is hosting will start returning home but has said it will not force them to leave.<\/p>\n
Turkey has also called repeatedly for the YPG to be disbanded, while warning of a new military offensive if authorities in Damascus do not address the issue. Its officials have met repeatedly with US and Syrian counterparts about the issue.<\/p>\n
The SDF has said it would be willing to integrate with Syria\u2019s defense ministry, but only as \u201ca military bloc.\u201d [Reuters]<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n