Ankara: Syria reopened its embassy in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, on Sunday after a closure lasting more than 14 years, according to Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani officially inaugurated the embassy during a ceremony attended by Arab and foreign diplomats and officials. According to Anadolu Agency, the move is part of a series of measures by the Syrian state to reorganize and reactivate its diplomatic missions abroad and attend to the interests of its citizens overseas.

The Syrian community in Libya is estimated at around 200,000 people, primarily located in Tripoli and Benghazi. Shaibani emphasized that the reopening of the embassy reflects the importance and standing of Syrian-Libyan relations, providing a pathway to regularize the status of Syrians in Libya.

Taher Al-Baour, responsible for managing Libya's Foreign Ministry and international cooperation, stated that reopening the mission is a 'positive step' toward normalizing and developing bilateral relations.

Additionally, Shaibani met with Libyan Prime Minister Abd al-Hamid Dbeibeh to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral ties, as per a statement from the media office of Libya's Government of National Unity. The Syrian Embassy's reopening follows a 2025 announcement where a Syrian delegation stated the country's flag had been raised over the embassy building in preparation.

The embassy's closure in 2012 coincided with severed relations during Bashar al-Assad's rule. In December 2024, Syrian factions took control of Damascus, ending the Baath Party's 61-year rule and the Assad family's 53-year rule.