ISTANBUL – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that there is no reason not to re-establish relations with Syria, according to the state-run Anadolu news agency.

"Just as we were together in the past in developing relations with Syria, we will act together in the same way," Erdogan told reporters after Friday prayers in Istanbul.

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He was also quoted as saying that Türkiye has no intention of meddling in Syria's internal affairs. "Because the Syrian people are a community with whom we have lived together as brotherly nations," he said.

The Turkish leader recalled that Türkiye maintained vibrant relations with Syria in the past, saying: "There is no doubt that such engagements could resume in the future."

On Wednesday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said that his country remains open to initiatives regarding its relationship with Türkiye.

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After the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in March 2011, Turkey's relations with Syria have become significantly strained. Ankara has aligned itself with several opposition groups against the Syrian government.

Since 2015, Türkiye has launched several military operations in Syria, accusing the Syrian government of supporting the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, a Kurdish rebel group designated as a terrorist organization by Türkiye.