Fall of Damascus appears to align with long-time goals of neighbour Turkiye

Sub : IR

Sec: Places in news

Context:

Syrian refugees in Turkey celebrated the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government, with many expressing a desire to return home after years of living in exile. Turkey, which hosts around 3 million Syrian refugees, has long supported opposition groups fighting Assad.
Large crowds gathered in border cities like Kilis and Hatay, waving Syrian and Turkish flags.

Turkey’s Role in the Syrian Conflict:

Turkey, which shares a long border with Syria, has backed Syrian opposition groups since the civil war began in 2011. It has provided military and logistical assistance to these factions.
Through its proxy group, the Syrian National Army, Turkey has fought Kurdish forces in northern Syria, primarily targeting Kurdish militias linked to the PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party), which Turkey considers a terrorist group.
While Turkey has denied direct involvement in the recent HTS-led offensive, analysts suggest that the operation could not have occurred without Turkey’s approval.

Turkey’s Strategic concerns:

Turkey’s concern is to secure its southern border, especially against Kurdish militias like the YPG, which it links to the PKK.
Turkey fears that instability in Syria could lead to a new wave of refugees and increased activity from Kurdish militias.

Hatay province:

Hatay is situated in southern Turkey and is bordered by Syria to the south and east, the Mediterranean Sea to the west, and other Turkish provinces to the north.
The capital of the province is Antakya (historically known as Antioch)

Kilis:

Kilis is a city in southern Turkey, near the border with Syria, and the administrative centre of Kilis Province and Kilis District.
Kilis province is located to the east of Hatay province.