Turkey will likely promote the formation of a stable, pro-Turkey provisional government in Syria following the collapse of Bashar al Assad's regime; Ankara will also assert its influence over Syria's new leaders to prevent Kurdish autonomy, promote Turkish business interests and facilitate the return of Syrian refugees, which will risk heightening tensions with Israel in the long term. In the wake of the Assad government's collapse, Turkey has advocated for Syrian sovereignty while simultaneously promoting its own security and political interests in the country. On the same day rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, took control of Damascus, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Dec. 8 spoke about Syria's political future on the sidelines of the Doha Forum in Qatar, noting ''opposition groups should be united now.'' Fidan's remarks came as the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army, or SNA, was launching attacks against Kurdish fighters whom Turkey considers terrorists....
