Turkey reopens its embassy in Syria for the first time in 12 years

The embassy reopening happened just days after rebels overthrew the government of Bashar al-Assad.

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00:00Turkey reopened its embassy in Syria, becoming the first country to do so since the end of

00:07Bashar al-Assad's rule last weekend.

00:13Footage released by the Turkish Foreign Ministry showed the Turkish flag being raised above

00:18the walled compound in the Syrian capital for the first time since diplomatic ties were

00:23cut in 2012.

00:27The embassy had suspended operations due to escalating security conditions during the

00:32Syrian civil war.

00:35Several countries maintained diplomatic ties with the regime during the 13-year conflict

00:40while others reopened their missions in recent years as they sought to normalize relations

00:46with al-Assad's government.

00:49The Syrian insurgents who overthrew al-Assad last weekend did so with vital help from Turkey.