Protests continued on Friday against normalization efforts between Ankara and Damascus in Turkish-held regions in northern Syria.
A huge protest was held in Afrin against the normalization with demands that military decision-making in the anti-regime revolution be removed from Ankara’s control.
Rallies had broken out overnight on Thursday in areas held by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group in the Idlib countryside.
The demonstrators protested against attacks by pro-Türkiye military police against rallies that were held in the Peace Spring Operation areas in Afrin.
The police had fired live rounds and tear gas to disperse the protesters in Afrin.
The people had taken to the streets on Thursday to demand the release of 18 demonstrators who were arrested during protests against normalization.
Protests also broke out in regions of Türkiye's Operation Olive Branch. They demanded an end to Ankara’s control of the revolt and opening new fronts to combat the regime of Bashar al-Assad.
Türkiye is keen implementing an agreement reached with Russia to open trade routes with Syria, which has also angered protesters because it is seen as another move to normalize ties with Damascus.
On Thursday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan declared that discussions are ongoing over normalization.
Türkiye is ready for a meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syrian President Assad, he added.
The time and place of the meeting have not been set yet.
He made his remarks shortly after a round of discussions held between Turkish officials with an American delegation in Türkiye.
The talks focused on reaching a political solution to the crisis in Syria in line with United Nations Security Council resolution 2254.
