Turkey-Syria

With Turkish support.. Reopening of 'Al-Quds Mosque' in Yarmouk Camp, Damascus

Participating in the opening ceremony after its restoration were Turkish MP for Istanbul Hasan Turan, head of the Platform for Solidarity with Palestine Osman Nuri Kabaktepe, chairman of the board of the 'Association of Industrialists and Businessmen for a New World' Salman Asmarar, and officials from the Turkish Embassy in Damascus.

Muhammed Karabacak, Ömer Koparan, Baybars Can

17 July 2026 • Updated: 17 July 2026

photo: Izz Aldien Alqasem / AA

DAMASCUS

DAMASCUS / Anadolu

In southern Damascus, the capital of Syria, Al-Quds Mosque was reopened after suffering extensive damage from previous shelling by the Assad regime and its ally Russia, following the completion of maintenance and restoration work supported by Turkish relief organizations.

Participating in the opening ceremony were Turkish MP for Istanbul Hasan Turan, head of the Platform for Solidarity with Palestine Osman Nuri Kabaktepe, chairman of the board of the 'Association of Industrialists and Businessmen for a New World' Salman Asmarar, and officials from the Turkish Embassy in Damascus, alongside the deputy governor of Damascus and the director of the Endowments Administration there.

The ceremony began with recitation of verses from the Holy Quran, where speakers emphasized the importance of solidarity between the Turkish and Syrian peoples. The event also featured religious hymns performed by children who lost their families in the shelling by the Assad regime.

In an interview with Anadolu, Turkish Justice and Development Party (AK Party) MP Hasan Turan said that life is beginning to stir again in the war-ravaged Yarmouk Camp.

He added: 'We are not just opening a mosque today, but rebuilding our brotherhood and nurturing hope anew.'

Turan pointed out that the camp was previously almost completely destroyed, and most of its residents were forced to leave.

He noted that people have begun returning to their homes as security conditions have improved and stability returned in recent times.

Turan continued: 'When we visited the place before, the number of residents was very limited, but today we see tens of thousands of people have returned to the camp and life has returned to it anew.'

He explained that Al-Quds Mosque was restored with support from donors and benefactors from Turkey.

Photo: Izz Aldien Alqasem / AA

He stated that the project was implemented under the leadership of the 'Mavi Marmara' association with the contribution of a large number of civil society organizations and donors.

Turan affirmed that Turkey has always stood by the Syrians and Palestinians, and considered that 'the building we inaugurate today is not just a mosque made of stones and walls, but a symbol of the return of brotherhood to stand again and evidence of hope for a shared future.'

He added: 'The scene we see today proves that peace, solidarity, and brotherhood can flourish again in the region.'

Photo: Izz Aldien Alqasem / AA

The Turkish MP also expressed his hope that the Palestinian people would also attain their freedom.

For his part, the head of the 'Mavi Marmara' association, Ismail Sungur, said that the reopening of Al-Quds Mosque in the Yarmouk Camp for Palestinian refugees in Damascus after its restoration not only means the reopening of a place of worship, but also represents a revival of the social and cultural memory of the camp.

Sungur added: 'This mosque is also a meeting point, a meeting hall, and a place for social activities. It will be a center where community members gather again, and it will contribute to preserving the historical and cultural memory of the Palestinian community in Syria.'

He explained that the restoration work lasted about a full year; Al-Quds Mosque was completely renovated and returned to receive worshippers with a capacity of 1,000 worshippers.

Sungur expressed his hope that the mosque would continue to serve the Palestinians in Yarmouk Camp.