The inaugural flight departed Istanbul Airport at 0900GMT, bound for Damascus International Airport, marking the airline’s first service to Syria since 2012, Anadolu reported.

The civil war in Syria, which lasted over a decade, forced millions of Syrians into exile.

The flight carried nearly 350 passengers, many of whom expressed joy and anticipation about returning to their homeland. Passengers shared personal stories, highlighting their experiences of displacement and the prospect of reunions.

Fourteen-year-old Fatma Zehra, one of the passengers, shared her excitement about seeing Syria for the first time. “I’ve never seen my country. I’m so excited to see it for the first time. We will be going from Damascus to Aleppo. I’ll see my grandmother there,” she said. Zehra left Syria at the age of two and has spent most of her life in Turkey.

The resumption of flights marks a significant step for many Syrians who long for connections to their homeland.

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