Damascus, Ankara to hold meetings in Syria’s Latakia

The border crossing between Syria and Turkey in the town of Kessab, north of Latakia Governorate, on the Syrian coast - AFB
The border crossing between Syria and Turkey in the town of Kessab, north of Latakia Governorate, on the Syrian coast - AFP

DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – A source of the Syrian government reported on Saturday that technical and security committees of Damascus and Ankara will hold meetings on Jan. 20, 21, and 22 in the ​town of Kessab, north of Latakia Governorate, on the Syrian coast.

The source added that the meeting will address security matters in the framework of normalization efforts between the two parties.

On Dec. 12, 2023, North Press reported the handover of a detained officer of the government forces by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS – formerly al-Nusra Front) to Turkish intelligence. 

The handover of the officer took place in line with a pre-existing agreement between Turkish intelligence and the HTS. This deal outlines the transfer of a list of government officers within a specific timetable.

Previously, a source from the government forces in Latakia told North Press that Damascus wanted Ankara to hand over Syrian soldiers captured in previous years as part of the coordination of security committees between the two parties within normalization efforts.

The meeting in ​Kessab will be attended by the Russian side, according to the source.By Ardo Juweid