Golani’s Tie and Turkey’s Role in Shaping Post-War Syria

In a room where, only weeks earlier, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad assured his Iranian counterpart that Tehran’s decade-long investment in propping up Damascus was a success, a very different conversation unfolded. This time, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, once the face of the rebellion against Assad, stood shoulder to shoulder with Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. It’s happened exactly one week ago. The visual contrast was stark: Golani, now Ahmed al-Sharaa, traded his hipster-style military fatigues for a tailored suit and tie—a detail as symbolic as it was strategic.

For radicals, a tie may connote submission to Western norms, even a betrayal of the jihadist ethos. But for Sharaa, it signified transformation, aligning with Ankara’s effort to present him as a credible figure in a Syria reshaped under Turkey’s aegis. In this emerging narrative, Turkey positions itself not only as a regional power broker but as the linchpin of stability in a land still scarred by the Islamic State and years of civil war.

A New Arbiter in Syria

Fidan’s meeting with Sharaa underscored a pivotal shift: Syria’s new political and security order will bear the imprint of Turkish oversight. As the war’s embers cool, Ankara is staking its claim as the indispensable mediator—not just between Damascus and its neighbors but also between global powers like the US and Russia, whose competing stakes in Syria are inextricably linked to the country’s fractured geography.

For years, Syria served as a battleground for proxy wars, drawing in regional and global powers alike. The Islamic State exploited this volatile context to launch its grand, historic project: the establishment of a Caliphate. By transforming terrorism into a de facto state across the territories it seized in Syria and Iraq, the group reshaped the dynamics of the conflict and threatened regional stability. While the caliphate has collapsed, remnants of the group linger, hidden within Syria’s complex tribal and political dynamics. Thousands of captured IS fighters languish in detention facilities guarded by Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), whom Ankara views as an existential threat due to their ties to the PKK.

By promoting Sharaa as a viable custodian of these detainees, Turkey is challenging the status quo, sidelining the SDF, and cementing its role as a guarantor of regional stability.

Balancing Ideologies and Interests

The symbolic weight of Fidan’s assurances cannot be overstated. Turkey’s aim is precise: to facilitate a transition in Syria where pro-Turkish actors replace the SDF in managing both security and governance. For Gulf states like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, which fear the resurgence of jihadist violence, Ankara’s strategy offers reassurance.

Yet, this calculated move also serves Turkey’s internal and regional goals. Rebranding Sharaa as a responsible leader distances him from his jihadist past, easing concerns in Western capitals while amplifying pressure on the US to rethink its reliance on Kurdish forces.

Fidan’s remarks about Sharaa’s administration “taking the necessary initiative” to manage IS prisoners were a thinly veiled appeal to the West. Ankara’s message is clear: Turkey, not the US, holds the key to a sustainable security solution in Syria.

The Broader Geopolitical Implications

Beyond Syria’s immediate dynamics, Ankara’s moves resonate across the region. From peacekeeping proposals in Ukraine to mediating in the Horn of Africa, Turkey is asserting itself as a versatile actor on the global stage. Its engagement in Syria is a case study of its broader ambitions: reshaping regional power structures while safeguarding its strategic interests.

Sharaa’s transformation is a story of pragmatism wrapped in symbolism. His tie, a seemingly trivial detail, is a declaration: under Turkey’s guidance, Syria’s new leadership is not abandoning its Islamist ideology but temporarily setting it aside to align with Ankara’s strategic demands and its immediate interests. For Ankara, this transformation is not an end in itself but a means to secure its interests against the enduring threat of Kurdish autonomy and the specter of a resurgent Islamic State.

In the chessboard of the Middle East, Turkey is no longer just a player—it’s shaping the rules.