Türkiye will provide 2 billion cubic metres of natural gas per year to Syria under a new bilateral agreement aimed at jumpstarting Syria’s war-ravaged energy sector,Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar announced Thursday during a joint press conference in Damascus with his Syrian counterpart.
The deal marks a major step in the normalization of relations between Ankara and Damascus following the end of Syria’s 13-year civil war, which concluded this month with the ousting of longtime President Bashar al-Assad. Türkiye, a former backer of rebel forces during the conflict, is now positioning itself as a key partner in Syria’s reconstruction.
Bayraktar said the gas supplied from Türkiye will enable Syria to generate an additional 1,300 megawatts of electricity, significantly boosting the country’s power capacity. As part of the short-term plan, Türkiye will also provide 1,000 megawatts of electricity directly to help stabilize Syria’s battered grid.
Syrian Energy Minister Mohammed al-Bashir confirmed that both sides had agreed to reactivate a cross-border gas pipeline, with flows expected to begin as early as June. "This will significantly boost electricity generation, which will positively impact the Syrian people’s electricity needs," he stated.
The agreement also outlines the completion of a 400-kilovolt transmission line connecting the two nations, expected to be operational by the end of the year or shortly thereafter. The line will enable the import of up to 500 megawatts of electricity from Türkiye into Syria.
Beyond gas and electricity, the cooperation framework includes opening Syria to Turkish investment in key sectors such as mining, phosphate extraction, electricity generation, and power distribution. Bayraktar noted that Türkiye is also involved in “intensive work” to explore new oil and gas reserves, both onshore and offshore in the eastern Mediterranean region.
The comprehensive energy deal not only aims to alleviate Syria’s severe power shortages but also signals growing Turkish influence in the post-war economic and geopolitical landscape of the region. Analysts say the partnership could serve as a model for broader regional cooperation in Syria’s long path toward recovery.
In the Middle East, wars rarely remain confined to battlefields. Their most profound and enduring consequences are often measured not in military victories but in human displacement.
At least 30,000 displaced people have sought protection in shelters across Lebanon following an escalation in hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, the United Nations refugee agency said on Tuesday, and added that many more were expected to join them.
Syria’s economy is showing clear signs of recovery, with economic activity accelerating in recent months, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Wednesday.
Four members of Syria’s Internal Security Forces were killed and two others injured on Monday (23 February) in an attack by the ISIS (Daesh) terrorist group targeting a checkpoint west of Raqqa in northeastern Syria, the Interior Ministry said.
Israel and Iran continued to exchange strikes on Friday (13 March), as the U.S. and French militaries reported deaths in Iraq, and the U.N. launched a $325 million appeal to help Lebanon, where a seventh of the population have left their homes since fighting began.
The U.S. should shut down its military bases in the Middle East, Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday (12 March). His words were read out by a broadcaster on state Iranian television.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued veiled threats to Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, and Hezbollah on Thursday (12 March), during his first press conference since the conflict with Iran began.
At least 64 people have been killed in southern Ethiopia following recent landslides and floods, the regional government’s communications office said on Thursday (12 March), citing local police
Ayman Ghazali, a 41-year-old U.S. citizen born in Lebanon, crashed his truck into the hallway of a Detroit-area synagogue on Thursday (12 March) while children attended preschool. Security personnel shot him dead during the confrontation, and authorities said no one else was seriously injured.
NATO air defence systems intercepted a third Iranian ballistic missile over Türkiye early on Friday morning. The incident occurred at approximately 03:30 local time over the southern province of Adana.
The European Commission will instruct governments to be flexible in enforcing EU rules on gas imports, diplomats told Reuters on Thursday (12 March), a move likely to benefit imports from Azerbaijan.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 13rd of March, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Ayman Ghazali, a 41-year-old U.S. citizen born in Lebanon, crashed his truck into the hallway of a Detroit-area synagogue on Thursday (12 March) while children attended preschool. Security personnel shot him dead during the confrontation, and authorities said no one else was seriously injured.
Balendra Shah is set to become Nepal's prime minister after winning a landslide in the country's 2026 elections. The election comes after a GenZ-led protest in which dozens died in September last year, helped to overthrow the government
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