Qatar has been a staunch supporter of Syria’s erstwhile Opposition long before the fall of the now ousted president Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December.

When rebel forces from Hay’at Tahrir al Sham (HTS) began seizing key cities in Syria in November, the people began to breathe fresh air as the nation started to feel the shift towards a new era.

After decades of tyranny under the Assad regime, first under Hafez and later Bashar al-Assad, December marked a turning point for Syria. The country’s rebirth began when Bashar fled Damascus for Moscow, as HTS fighters advanced toward the capital.

This marked the fall of Assad, the return of thousands in exile, and the liberation of those who had almost lost hope, including the victims of the dictatorship trapped in Sednaya prison, known as the “Human Slaughterhouse.”

Among the strongest supporters was Qatar, the only nation that had opened a consulate aligned with the Opposition rather than the regime, following Bashar’s violent crackdown on dissent after the peaceful protests of 2011.

After the regime’s collapse in December, Qatar ramped up its support for Syria, determined to be a part of rebuilding the nation.

On Tuesday, Qatar Airways aircraft became the first international commercial flight to land at landed at Damascus International Airport. The flight was full of Syrian nationals, some of which had not been to their home country for over a decade.

In December, Doha News reported that a technical aviation team from Qatar accompanied the Qatari delegation which had arrived in Syria to assess the readiness of Damascus Airport to resume operations.

Following the fall of the Assad regime, Qatar offered to provide technical support for the resumption of commercial and cargo flights, as well as ensure the airport’s maintenance during the transitional phase.

The gulf state also sent at least eight relief planes with aid to Syria.

On Tuesday, Reuters, citing a senior U.S. diplomat, reported that Qatar is planning to boost government wages in Syria’s public sector, though nothing has been finalised yet.

The same day, Qatar’s charge d’affaires to Syria, Khalifa Abdullah Al Mahmoud Al Sharif, alongside a team from the Qatar Red Crescent Society, met with Acting Minister for Health Maher Al-Sharaa in Damascus to discuss ways for Qatar to boost Syria’s healthcare system.

“The meeting focused on the current state of the health care sector and essential needs to support Syria’s medical infrastructure,” a joint statement confirmed.

On Wednesday, Syrian news agency SANA stated that Qatar and Türkiye would be sending two powerships to Syria to strengthen the nations energy sector following years of infrastructure damage under al-Assad’s rule.

Qatari Minister for State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed Al-Khulaifi visited Damascus on December 23 to discuss way to enhance joint relations between the two nations under Syria’s new government.

On December 21, Qatar reopened its Damascus consulate, raising the Qatari flag for the first time since the embassy’s closed in 2011.