With a decision by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, published today in a state newspaper, Turkey officially appointed current Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz as the country's ambassador to Damascus, the Haberler website reported, quoted by BTA.
Born in Istanbul in 1974, Yilmaz is an experienced diplomat who previously served as a senior advisor to the minister and director of the Strategic Studies Center (SAM) at the Turkish Foreign Ministry. Like Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, he comes from the National Intelligence Agency and is fluent in English, having held several positions in Washington and been a lecturer in the United States.
With the announcement of this decision, Yilmaz becomes Turkey's first ambassador to Syria in 13 years. Ankara and Damascus severed diplomatic relations during the rule of Bashar al-Assad and the country's more than 10-year civil war.
Since Assad's overthrow in December 2024, the two countries have strengthened their ties and economic and military cooperation. Until now, Ankara was represented in Damascus by a chargé d'affaires.