On Thursday, Egypt’s foreign minister demanded that Turkey withdraw its troops from Syria, indicating persistent tensions, despite Ankara and Cairo’s attempts to mend relations.

During a joint press conference in Ankara on Thursday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Choukri called on Turkey to withdraw its troops from Syria, emphasizing the need to maintain Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu responded by stating that their presence in Syria is critical to prevent threats against Turkey and to block attempts to divide the country.

Relations between Egypt and Turkey have been strained since Abdel Fattah al-Sisi came to power in 2013 after the overthrow of President Mohamed Morsi, who had been an ally of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. However, Turkey has been working to restore ties with several regional powers, including Egypt and Israel.

Egypt’s recent re-engagement with Damascus has caused concerns in Washington, while Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has made the withdrawal of Turkish troops from Syria a prerequisite for dialogue with Erdogan.

The head of the Egyptian diplomacy had previously visited Turkey in February to provide aid after a devastating earthquake. During a joint press conference at the time, the Turkish Foreign Minister welcomed the opening of new pages in relations with Egypt. The two countries’ presidents also exchanged their first handshake in November 2021 at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.