Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan conducted his first diplomatic visit to Damascus on December 22, the Syrian government's social media account reported. 

Fidan met with Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, who recently led the successful operation to remove Bashar al-Assad from power with his group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which swept to power on December 8.

The high-level meeting, documented through photographs released, shows Ankara's swift engagement with Syria's new leadership and backing of the leadership of al-Sharaa, who was wearing a suit and tie for the first time.

The visit follows Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's announcement that Turkey would assist Syria in establishing new governmental structures and drafting a constitution.

This diplomatic initiative builds upon earlier engagements, including Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin's visit to Damascus on December 12, shortly after Assad's fall.

Turkey, which had long supported opposition to Assad's rule, has pledged to assist in Syria's reconstruction and expressed hope for the eventual return of millions of Syrian refugees currently residing in Turkey.

The meeting occurs against a backdrop of ongoing regional tensions, particularly in northeast Syria, where Turkey-backed fighters continue to clash with Kurdish YPG militia, which Turkey considers a terrorist organisation.

Turkish defence officials have expressed confidence that Syria's new leadership, including the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army, will remove YPG forces from their northeastern territories.