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The Tripoli-based Libyan government has confirmed the reopening of the Syrian Embassy in Tripoli after more than 13 years of closure, marking a fresh step in restoring diplomatic ties between the two nations.
The reopening took place today during the visit of a Syrian Foreign Ministry delegation led by Mohammad Jaffal, Deputy Director of the Arab Affairs Department at the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates. Jaffal and his team attended the event, underscoring the significance of Syria’s renewed presence in Libya.
This development follows another symbolic milestone earlier in the week. On Monday, 18 August, Libya’s Ministry of Transport, through its Airports Authority, announced that Tripoli’s Mitiga International Airport had received the first Syrian Airlines flight since the 2011 uprising. Authorities described the landing as historic, as it was the first Syrian national carrier to touch down in Libya in more than a decade.
The embassy closure had lasted since the outbreak of the February 2011 Libyan conflict, which toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi and disrupted diplomatic and transport links between the two countries. The return of Syria’s diplomatic mission is seen as part of broader regional efforts to normalize relations and revive cooperation between Arab states after years of conflict and division.
For Libya, hosting the Syrian delegation and welcoming back its embassy signals a shift towards building stronger regional alliances. For Syria, reopening the embassy and resuming airline services represents a renewed attempt to expand its diplomatic and economic footprint in North Africa, especially as Damascus seeks to reintegrate into the Arab League after years of isolation.
The reopening has been welcomed as a practical step to ease consular services, boost trade, and facilitate the growing number of flights and travelers expected between Libya and Syria. Analysts note that with the resumption of air travel and the embassy’s operations, bilateral relations are likely to deepen in the coming months.
