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Turkish Airlines resumed flights to Damascus on Thursday, marking the end of a 13-year suspension of service to the Syrian capital that began during the country's civil unrest in 2012.
The inaugural flight TK 846, carrying 349 passengers, departed from Istanbul Airport with many travelers expressing emotional reactions before boarding. Some passengers were seen carrying Syrian revolution flags at the departure gate.
For many Syrian passengers, the flight represented their first opportunity to return to their homeland in over a decade.
Among them was 14-year-old Fatma Zehra, who left Syria as a toddler.
"I've never seen my country. I'm very excited to see it for the first time," Zehra told reporters, adding that she planned to visit her grandmother in Aleppo after landing in Damascus.
Ahmet Kiraz, another passenger who came to Turin in 2012, described the moment as surreal. "We thought we would never have the chance to return with our families," Kiraz said. "I'm recording every moment. I feel like I'm in a dream. May Allah bless everyone in Türkiye."
The wide-body aircraft departed Istanbul Airport at 9:00 a.m. local time, with an expected flight time of approximately two hours to Damascus International Airport.
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