Erdogan Says Turkey, Lebanon Agree To Act Together On Syria

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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday said Turkey and Lebanon would work together on Syria after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad by Islamist-led rebels.

“A new era has now begun in Syria. We agree that we must act together as two important neighbors of Syria,” Erdogan told a news conference, alongside Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati.

“The stability of Syria means the stability of the region,” he said, adding that reconstruction of the war-ravaged country on their borders would be their priority.

Assad fled to Russia after a lightning offensive spearheaded by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) wrested city after city from his control until the rebels reached the Syrian capital earlier this month.

The ousting of Assad sparked celebrations around Syria and beyond, and has prompted many refugees to begin returning home.

Turkey and Lebanon are home to a large number of Syrian refugees.

To rebuild Syria, Erdogan said: “This is a critical period in which we need to act with unity, solidarity and mutual reconciliation.”

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