Turkey plans to repair dozens of mosques in Syria

ANKARA – Anadolu Agency

Turkey’s Religious Affairs (Diyanet) Foundation plans to repair dozens of mosques in Syria that have been heavily damaged by the country’s ongoing war, according to the head of foundation.        

Mustafa Tutkun told Anadolu Agency on April 23 that the state-run foundation was planning to construct and repair 66 mosques in cooperation with the Prime Ministry.        

Tutkun said the projects would be conducted in places where terror groups have been eliminated by Turkey-led Euphrates Shield Operation, including Çobanbey, Azaz and Jarablus, near the Turkish border.    
   
Some mosques have already been reopened after repairs.

“We completed the repairs of the Kebir, Nur and Hasan mosques in Jarablus and have reopened it to the public for worship,” he added.        

Additionally, Tutkun said the foundation restored and reopened 127 mosques in cooperation with the Directorate of Religious Affairs that had been damaged during fighting between Turkish forces and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party in Turkey’s east and southeast.

Syria has been locked in a devastating civil war since early 2011.