In most capitals across the Middle East, the news of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s fall sparked immense anxiety. Ankara is not one of them. Rather than worrying about Syria’s prospects after more than a decade of conflict,

Syrians lined up at the Turkish border on Wednesday to head home after rebels ousted President Bashar al-Assad, speaking of their expectations for a better life following what was for many a decade of hardship in Turkey.

As the Syrian regime collapses, Turkey faces new challenges in balancing alliances with NATO, Russia, and Iran.