Erdogan allows 3 Turkey university campuses to open in Syria

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has approved a request from a Turkish university to open three campuses in northern Syria.

The campuses will be affiliated with Gaziantep University, which is the south-eastern city bordering Syria. The faculties will be located in Turkish controlled cities.

The decree was approved on Thursday and logged in Turkey’s Official Gazette on Friday.

READ: Turkey’s Erdogan discusses Syria ‘safe zone’ with Trump, White House says US won’t be involved

The university rector, Ali Gur told the Anadolu Agency in May that “There was a high demand from local assemblies and provincial leaders. I went [to northern Syria] myself and saw the demand, they really need it.”

“We have ordered the opening of an Economic and Administrative Faculty in Al-Bab, Islamic Sciences Faculty in Azaz, and Education Faculty in Afrin, which are affiliated to Gaziantep University’s Presidency,” read the presidential decree.

Al-Bab and Azaz have been under Turkey’s control since 2017. It captured Kurdish-majority Afrin in early 2018.

With scholarships on offer for Syrians forced to leave school as a result of the conflict, it is hoped they will be incentivised to return. Turkey currently hosts some 3.6 million Syrian refugees, more than any other country in the world.

Erdogan: Turkey to launch military operation in northeast Syria