VIDEO: Erdogan hopes "armed groups' advance in Syria continues towards Damascus"

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated on Friday that he hopes the advance of armed groups in Syria will "continue without incident," with their ultimate goal being the capital, Damascus.

Speaking about the ongoing conflict in Syria, Erdogan highlighted the progress made by these groups, specifically through Idleb, Hama, and Homs, and emphasized that Damascus remains the primary target, according to AFP.

Erdogan also addressed his failed attempts to initiate reconciliation talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Despite his efforts, he said, he has yet to receive a response from Assad. "I told him 'Come, let's meet to discuss the future of Syria together', but I never had a positive response from Assad," Erdogan stated.

Turkey, which shares a long border with Syria, has played a significant role in the Syrian conflict, particularly since the civil war broke out in 2011. The country has provided support to various opposition groups, offering refuge to millions of Syrian refugees. In recent months, however, Erdogan had made attempts to reconcile with Assad, with Russian mediation, but these efforts have so far not yielded results.

On Saturday, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will meet with counterparts from Russia and Iran in Qatar on the sidelines of the Doha Forum to discuss the ongoing Syrian civil war and potential solutions to the crisis.

Escalating Conflict

This follows significant advances by Syrian armed groups, which have claimed control over Hama and much of its northern countryside, while pushing closer to Homs.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the clashes—the most intense since 2020—have resulted in at least 826 fatalities among civilians and combatants.

Last week, Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied factions launched a surprise offensive in Aleppo, claiming full control of the city.

Meanwhile, a Syrian military source confirmed on Friday targeted strikes on militant vehicles and gatherings in northern and southern rural Hama.