President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan claimed that Turkish has become a second language in several major Syrian cities, speaking before the AKP parliamentary bloc in Istanbul. He linked the trend to Turkey’s role in enabling the Syrian uprising, saying refugees are now returning home and offering prayers for Turkey. Erdoğan named Damascus, Aleppo, Hama, Homs, and Latakia as places where Turkish is reportedly being used widely. The remarks come after Syria’s transitional government took power in December 2024 and appointed Ahmed al-Sharaa as interim president, pledging to form an inclusive government. Erdoğan framed Turkey’s role as influential in Syria’s political shift.