Sat Aug 02 18:19:58 UTC 2025: Here’s a news article summarizing and rewriting the provided text:
**Azerbaijan Begins Pumping Natural Gas to Syria via Turkey in Landmark Deal**
**Kilis, Türkiye – August 2, 2025** – In a significant move aimed at alleviating Syria’s energy crisis, Turkey today inaugurated a new natural gas pipeline carrying Azerbaijani gas into the war-torn nation. The event, held in the Turkish province of Kilis near the Syrian border, marked the start of a project expected to deliver up to two billion cubic meters of natural gas annually to Syria.
The deal comes as Syria struggles to rebuild its battered infrastructure following years of civil conflict. Syria’s current Islamist government, which took power after ousting Bashar al-Assad in December, faces the challenge of frequent and prolonged power outages.
Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar, speaking at the ceremony alongside Syrian Energy Minister Mohammed al-Bashir, Azerbaijan’s Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov, and the Director General of the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) Fahad Hamad Hassan Al-Sulait, emphasized the initiative’s potential to normalize conditions within Syria.
“In the initial phase, up to two billion cubic meters of natural gas per year could be exported to Syria,” stated Minister Bayraktar.
Syrian officials have confirmed that the gas will be primarily used for electricity generation. The gas will fuel a power plant with a capacity of approximately 1,200 megawatts, potentially providing electricity to around five million households. The plan involves transporting the gas to Aleppo and Homs to revitalize power plants in those areas.
This initiative builds upon an earlier Qatari-funded scheme, launched in March, which provided 400 megawatts of electricity daily to Syria via Jordan.
The deal signifies a crucial step toward addressing Syria’s critical energy needs and supporting the nation’s recovery efforts.
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