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Syria after Assad

Why the Turkish foreign minister and Syrian leader sipping tea in Damascus became a viral meme

A photograph of Hakan Fidan and Ahmed al-Sharaa on Syria’s Mount Qasioun recalled a decade-old tweet foreshadowing the fall of Assad
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (left) greets Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (right) during a visit to the Syrian capital on 22 December 2024 (Hakan Fidan/X)
By Fatima Taskomur and Ragip Soylu
Published date: 23 December 2024 12:41 GMT | Last update: 2 weeks 6 days ago

A photograph of the Turkish foreign minister and leader of Syria's new administration drinking tea on a mountain overlooking the Syrian capital has gone viral in Turkey, with many social media users drawing comparisons to a popular social media post from the early years of the war.

In 2015, an anonymous Turkish social media user, known for his viral posts and musings, shared a post yearning for a Syria without President Bashar al-Assad. 

"One day, as we sip black coffee on Mount Qasioun and gaze upon al-Sham al-Sharif [noble Damascus], we will say: 'Bashar, what a formidable pig you were,'" wrote the user, who went by the name Imam Naif Agakhan.

Hundreds of social media users recalled the post by the now-defunct account after seeing the photo of Hakan Fidan and Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed Jolani, on the mountain on Sunday. Many shared screenshots of the tweet alongside photographs of the two leaders.

Sharaa became the effective leader of Syria after an alliance led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) toppled the Assad government earlier in December.

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Following the takeover of Damascus, Sharaa pledged to protect civil institutions and minority rights and enforce the rule of law as Syria transitions to a future away from the Assad legacy.

Turkey has been a key early ally of the new Syrian administration, promising financial and military help.

"For years, a generation dreamed of sitting on Mount Qasioun, sipping bitter coffee and looking down at Damascus, saying: 'Oh, Bashar, you were a cunning beast, but the Syrian people tore you down,'" posted one user.

Another said: "It's truly a testament to the power of Twitter when a tweet about drinking coffee on Qasioun mountaintop signalling victory over Bashar al-Assad would turn into a meme and then materialise in real life by Hakan Fidan and Ahmad al-Sharaa."

Omer Ozkizilcik, a nonresident fellow for the Syria Project at the Atlantic Council, suggested it was a tongue-in-cheek message. 

"Only long-time Turkish-Syria watchers will understand the meaning of this," he said. "The deputy Turkish foreign minister says it is tea, not coffee. The subtle message of this video/picture is just amusing."

Translation: Hakan Fidan is drinking coffee at Qasioun. A man's words on Twitter echoed throughout the Middle East. Unbelievable.

A few Turkish citizens also made the trek to the summit to snap pictures of themselves with the symbolic coffee.

Translation: Mount Qasioun has been climbed, the black coffee drunk and Damascus gazed upon. Oh, Bashar…

The original tweeter, who now goes by Nesimi Aga on X, said he did not think his comments would go viral and become a meme that prompted people to visit the mountain.

"Sharing a common feeling with so many people and expressing that feeling made me happy," he told Middle East Eye.

"The Syrian revolution has had a profound impact on my world of thought and life," he said, adding that Mount Qasioun is an important area because it is the burial site of Ibn Arabi, the 12th-century Andalusian Sufi scholar.

Mount Qasioun offers panoramic views of the historic city and was once lined with restaurants and cafes frequented by Damascenes before the war.

Translation: Hakan Fidan and Ahmed al-Sharaa gazed upon noble Damascus while sipping bitter coffee on Mount Qasioun

The strategic peak was also "a complex inseparably linked to the Assad family's rule, a network of compounds and positions occupied by elite units led by members of the president's inner circle and clan", according to a 2013 New York Times report. 

During the war, the area was blocked off as a military zone for the notorious Fourth Division of the army headed by Maher al-Assad, the former president's brother.

After the toppling of the Assad government earlier in December, Syrians started visiting the site for the first time in 14 years.

Also known as the "holy mountain", Mount Qasioun carries significant religious and cultural importance. It is believed to be the site of key events described in the Quran and historic Islamic works. 

Many believe Cain killed Abel in a cave on the mountain, and the prophets Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Lot and Job all prayed there.

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