Turkish Airlines resumes flights to Syria after 11 years

Turkish Airlines said it has resumed flights to Syria after a hiatus of 11 years.

The first flight flew from Istanbul to Damascus on Thursday, with many Syrians expressing joy at returning to their homeland after years of exile.

At least 350 people were on the flight, some carrying the Syrian flag.

Passenger Fatma Zehra told reporters that she had come to Türkiye when she was only 2 years old and was very excited to return with her family to her homeland where she was born.

Zehra, who is now 14, said: "I've never seen my country. I'm so excited to see it for the first time. We will be going from Damascus to Aleppo. I'll see my grandmother there."

Some 4 million Syrians took refuge in neighbouring Türkiye during the civil war. Ahmet Kiraz, another passenger, said he came to Türkiye in 2012, built a life by studying and working, and never expected to return to Syria.

"We thought we would never go back," he said. "But when the opportunity came, we were so happy. I'm returning to my country on the first flight. It feels like a dream."