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Türkiye has appointed an ambassador to Syria for the first time since 2012, one year after the country’s civil war erupted. Deputy Foreign Minister Nuh Yilmaz has been named the new ambassador, according to a presidential decree signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and published in the Official Gazette.
The appointment comes at a sensitive moment, as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Syria's new administration are reportedly holding talks with the United States' backing regarding potential political arrangements aimed at unifying parts of Syria.
Nuh Yilmaz served as Türkiye's deputy foreign minister before the appointment, and it shows the importance Türkiye attaches to Syria's stability, as some Turkish analysts suggest.
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After the fall of the Assad regime, Türkiye reopened its embassy in Damascus 12 years later. Former Ambassador to Nouakchott Burhan Koroglu had been assigned as charge d’affaires on December 12, 2024, marking the first step in the restoration of diplomatic presence.
Yilmaz’s appointment represents a significant milestone in Türkiye’s efforts to act in full coordination with the new Syrian management in important matters after more than a decade of estrangement.
Yilmaz previously held various positions within the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) between 2013 and 2023.
He headed the Foreign Ministry’s Center for Strategic Research (SAM) and served as chief advisor to the foreign minister. Most recently, Yilmaz served as Deputy Foreign Minister from May 20, 2024, to October 24, 2025.
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