Syria’s Bashar al-Assad on Sunday issued a general amnesty for those involved in minor offenses. The pardon, traditional on the part of Assad, who occasionally issues such mass pardons, differs from others as it also covers Syrians abroad, particularly in Türkiye, media outlets reported.

The amnesty for those involved in military desertion and minor crimes committed before Sept. 22, 2024, comes amid a thaw between Türkiye and the Assad regime. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told reporters last week that they were ready to hold talks with Assad, more than a decade after Ankara and Damascus severed relations in the wake of the 2011 unrest.

Media outlets reported that the decree includes a full pardon for those convicted of "internal and external desertion" under the Syrian military penal code and excludes those who do not turn themselves in within three months and four months for external desertion.

Experts speculate that this may encourage the voluntary return of refugees in Türkiye, which hosts the largest number of Syrian nationals under international protection status, though it is unclear whether Assad’s move would prompt mass returns. Türkiye aims to send all refugees home but only voluntarily and in a "dignified" way, as authorities often say. Nevertheless, the situation is still not entirely calm for mass returns to Syria, which was ruined by years of conflict. Türkiye, which helped the liberation of northern Syrian towns from terrorist groups in recent years, spearheads efforts for rebuilding and safety to facilitate the returns.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said last week, ahead of his trip to the U.S. for the U.N. General Assembly, that he was waiting for the reply of Assad for a meeting to normalize ties. Erdoğan told reporters that tensions should end in Syria and Türkiye and Damascus should take joint steps for stability in Syria. Erdoğan has noted that conflict between Damascus and the opposition forces has been frozen for a while, providing a fertile ground for a permanent solution to the conflict. "Millions are awaiting their return to Syria. We demonstrated our will to meet Assad for normalization and await their answer. We hope to achieve the unity of two Muslim countries as soon as possible," Erdoğan said in his most optimistic remarks in the lengthy process so far.