Tunisia Restores Diplomatic Ties With Syria After Three-Year Break

In 2012, Tunisia withdrew its recognition of the legitimacy of the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad and expelled the country's ambassador.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Tunisia plans to reopen a consulate in Syria and invited a Syrian ambassador after break in diplomatic relations since 2012, Tunisian Foreign Minister Taieb Baccouche said Thursday.

"In the coming days we shall send a consular or diplomatic representation charge d'affaires to Syria… we are informing the Syrian side of an ability to send an ambassador to Tunisia, and we decided to lift the diplomatic freeze in Syria and Libya," Baccouche said in a press conference, as quoted by Al-Akhbar newspaper.

Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with the government forces fighting against numerous insurgent groups.