Turkey seeks to soothe opposition amid normalization with Syrian regime

As the Syrian opposition began to express its discontent over Turkish efforts to normalize its relations with the regime, senior figures from the Turkish government acted to reassure the Syrian opposition that has been waging a war against the government of Bashar al Assad for over 11 years.

In a meeting on Tuesday in Turkish capital Ankara hosting opposition leaders, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu “reiterated Turkey’s support for the Syrian Opposition & the Syrian people” in line with the related UN resolutions, before a meeting with his Syrian counterpart this month which will probably be held in Moscow.

An earlier meeting between the defense ministers of neighboring countries sparked demonstrations all across the rebel held areas of Northern Syria.

After hundreds of protestors took to the streets Al-Bab, Jarablus, Azaz, Marê, Afrin and Idlib chanting “"We'd rather die, we won't make peace with Assad," Cavusoglu said Turkey will not hand over people from the opposition to the government “to let them do whatever they want”

Turkey’s Presidential Spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin also joined Cavusoglu to help ease opposition concerns over Turkey’s ties with the regime.

“We have never let the Syrian opposition down until now. Casting them off is out of the question,” he said.

But to some opposition rebel groups fighting in the front, words are not enough.

The leader of Al Qaeda offshoot Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which controls large parts around Idlib province in Northern Syria, warned his supporters of "being let down by their close ones" saying they have prepared themselves “for the great days to come"