Opposing authoritarian leaders is a formidable challenge, as they wield state resources to suppress dissent. Over two decades, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has methodically dismantled democratic institutions and consolidated authoritarian power. His power is unrivaled, yet not unchallenged.

Sudan’s ongoing civil war has devastated the nation, displacing 12 million people and resulting in a widespread humanitarian crisis. As in Libya in 2019, foreign powers, including Turkey, have intervened in Sudan to support their local allies with weapons and mercenaries, thereby prolonging the conflict and exacerbating the destruction.

Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) faces significant challenges in governing Syria's deeply fractured society. Several reports of arbitrary killings of Alawites and skirmishes between different sects show that the Syrian government is in the early phases of power consolidation. Despite the many uncertainties clouding Syria's future, the Turkish government is fully committing its support to the country’s new government.

The fall of the Assad regime marks a critical juncture in regional geopolitics, fundamentally altering the dynamics between Turkey and Israel. Historically, their relationship has oscillated between pragmatic alliances and ideological rifts. Yet, with their common enemy removed, the regional balance of power has shifted, creating new challenges and testing the resilience of their already fragile ties.

Both Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and the YPG are classified as terrorist organizations by Turkey, yet these two groups have consolidated power across the Syrian landscape in the last couple of weeks. Nonetheless, the joy has been palpable both among Turkey's decision-makers and within the broader public, following the triumph of the HTS.

Syrian rebel forces launched their largest offensive against the Assad government in years on Wednesday, capturing Aleppo and advancing south toward Hama. While it is clear that Ankara had prior knowledge of the Syrian opposition’s offensive, dubbed "Stopping the Aggression," it appears to have underestimated the scale and rapidity of the regime’s collapse in Aleppo.