The Syria rebel leader responsible for the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime has vowed that the former president’s henchmen involved in torturing the Syrian people will not be pardoned.
“We will not pardon those who were involved in the torture and liquidation of detainees and were the cause of this,” said Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the commander of rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
“We will pursue them in our country, and we demand that countries hand over to us those of these criminals who fled to them in order to achieve justice against them,” he added.
It comes as Israel continues its bombardment of Syria, as the country looks to build a post-Assad future after selecting Mohammed al-Bashir as caretaker prime minister until March 2025.
Israeli warplanes “continue to destroy what remains of Syria’s military arsenal for the fourth consecutive day”, UK-based war monitor Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
As of Wednesday, over 352 air strikes had been carried out in 13 Syrian provinces. This included attacks on warehouses, airports, and a naval fleet in a port on Latakia.
Israel says it is targeting military infrastructure to prevent it from falling into hostile hands.
KEY POINTS
- We will not pardon Assad’s torturers, rebel commander says
- Rebel fighters burn tomb of Bashar al-Assad’s father
- Who is Mohammed al-Bashir, Syria’s new interim PM?
- How Russian agents persuaded Assad to flee
Thousands of ethnic minorities attempt to flee Syria
09:50
Alex Croft
Thousands of Syrians are attempting to flee Syria at the Masnaa border point with Lebanon, the only operational crossing between the two countries.
But many of them remain stuck on the Syrian side of the crossing and remain unable to cross, after the border was overwhelmed by a huge influx of travellers - going in both directions - since the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
Many are members of Syrian minority groups, are living in fear of what a new Syria led by Islamist factions may mean for minorities, including the Alawites and Christians, many of whom weren’t in favour of the uprising against the Assad regime in 2011.
Israeli strikes kill 28 including 7 children, Palestinian medics say
09:39
Alex Croft
Seven children were among the 28 killed by Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, Palestinian medical officials say.
It comes hours after the UN General Assembly approved a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and expressing support for Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, which Israel is set to ban.
One strike flattened a house in the Nuseirat refuge camp, according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the nearby city of Deir al-Balah.
Two other strikes killed 15 men who were among local committees established to secure aid convoys, the Associated Press reported.
US defense secretary calls for close contact with Israel
09:21
Alex Croft
U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has told his Israeli counterpart Israel Katz to remain in close contact over events in Syria, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.
Washington is monitoring developments in Syria and supports an inclusive political transition, and will continue its mission to prevent the Islamic State militant group from rebuilding in Syria.
Following the collapse of Assad’s dictatorship, Israel said its jets conducted hundreds of strikes in Syria and destroyed much of Syria’s military infrastructure.
"Secretary Austin emphasized the importance of close consultation between the United States and Israel on events in Syria," the Pentagon said.
We will not pardon Assad’s torturers, rebel commander says
08:53
Alex Croft
Syrian rebel commander Abu Mohammed al-Golani, who fronted the group responsible for the collapse of the Assad regime, has vowed not to pardon the former dictator’s henchmen.
On Wednesday afternoon, Syria’s state broadcaster posted the commander’s comments.
“We will not pardon those who were involved in the torture and liquidation of detainees and were the cause of this,” the leader of Islamist rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) said.
“We will pursue them in our country, and we demand that countries hand over to us those of these criminals who fled to them in order to achieve justice against them.”
Watch: Tomb of Bashar al-Assad's father engulfed in flames as rebels set fire to mausoleum
08:37
Holly Patrick
Syrian rebels set fire to the tomb of Bashar al-Assad’s father in his family’s hometown in Al-Qardahah, near Latakia.
Eyewitness video released on Wednesday, 11 December, showed men gathering around flames inside the mausoleum of Hafez al-Assad.
The date of the footage could not be independently verified, but the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said that gunmen set fire to the tomb on Tuesday.
Hafez Al-Assad took office on March 14 1971, seizing power in a bloodless coup in which Dr Noureddin Al-Atassi was overthrown.
His son Bashar was ousted over the weekend and fled to Russia where he was given political asylum.
The family ruled Syria for more than 50 years with a brutal regime.
Israel continues bombarding Syria - war monitor
08:18
Alex Croft
Israel has continued its bombardment of Syria as the country looks to build a post-Assad future.
UK-based war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Wednesday: “Israeli warplanes continue to destroy what remains of Syria’s military arsenal for the fourth consecutive day since the fall of the former regime.”
Over 352 air strikes have been carried out in 13 Syrian provinces, the monitor said. They have been focussed on “warehouses, aircraft, radar systems and military signal stations, scientific research centres and weapons and ammunitions warehouses in different positions across Syria”.
Israel says it is targeting military infrastructure to guarantee its own security.
Syria’s caretaker PM urges refugees to ‘come home’
07:30
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Syria’s caretaker prime minister Mohammed al-Bashir has urged all Syrians who fled president Bashar al-Assad’s brutal dictatorship to return and help “rebuild” the Arab nation.
“My appeal goes out to all Syrians abroad: Syria is now a free country that has regained its pride and dignity. Come back,” he told Corriere della Sera.
“We need to rebuild, to get our country on its feet again, and we need everyone’s help.”
At least 7.4 million Syrians remained internally displaced and nearly 4.9 million were seeking refuge in neighbouring countries, the UN said in a 2024 report.
Palestinian factions in Syria set to meet new leaders
07:00
Jane Dalton
Syria-based Palestinian factions have formed a unified delegation to meet the country’s new rebel-led authorities.
The factions said after a meeting at the Palestinian embassy that they stood by the side of the Syrian people.
They condemned Israel’s air strikes on Syria over the past few days that have destroyed much of the assets of the Syrian army.
The factions decided to form a joint committee to run the affairs of Palestinians in Syria as well as to be in contact with the new insurgent-led transitional government, following the ousting of president Bashar Assad.
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians live in Syria, many of them refugees, and the factions that have been based in Damascus were close to Assad’s government. Hamas was based in Syria until it left in 2012, a year after the county’s civil war began.
Syrian activist Mazen Al-Hamada found dead in Saydnaya prison
06:30
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Syrian activist Mazen Al-Hamada, whose face became the symbol of the Assad regime’s brutality, died in Saydnaya prison shortly before rebels took over Damascus and forced the president to flee.
Hamada, a former prisoner of Bashar al-Assad’s security services and an early activist in the 2011 Syrian uprising, was confirmed dead at the Harasta Military Hospital on Monday.
The Syrian activist had fled to Europe but returned to Syria in 2020 and was imprisoned upon arrival. His mangled corpse was found wrapped in a bloody sheet in Saydnaya, according to reports.
European nations urged not to send Syrian refugees back in haste
06:00
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Human rights groups and the United Nations have asked European countries not to deport Syrian refugees in haste amid the chaos and uncertainty that has gripped the West Asian nation following the ouster of president Bashar al-Assad.
After 13 years of civil war, which forced millions of Syrians to seek refuge in Europe and Asia, rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a rebranded Al Qaeda and Isis affiliate, swept the country and took control of Damascus over the weekend, overthrowing Assad and forcing him to flee to Russia.
Mr Assad’s ouster has offered hope to Syrians who endured a campaign of bombings, forced disappearances and torture under his family rule for decades.
At least 14 European nations, including the UK and Germany, have put asylum applications from Syrians on hold.
More here.
The inmates released from Assad’s notorious prisons
05:30
Jane Dalton
In case you missed it:
France urges Israel to withdraw from buffer zone
05:22
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
France has called on Israel to withdraw troops from the buffer zone between Israel and Syria which was captured by Benjamin Netanyahu’s forces swiftly after the fall of the Assad regime.
Mr Netanyahu said on Sunday he had ordered his ground forces to take control of the buffer zone established by a ceasefire agreement with Syria after armed rebel groups pushed out president Bashar al-Assad from Damascus and took power.
“Any military deployment in the separation zone between Israel and Syria is a violation of the disengagement agreement of 1974,” a French foreign ministry spokesperson said yesterday.
Israel’s exploitative move has been condemned by Egypt, Jordan and Qatar.
Top Biden aides head to Middle East to discuss Gaza truce and Syria
05:00
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Two of US president Joe Biden’s most senior aides are travelling to the Middle East, seeking to advance efforts to reach an elusive Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal and help ensure a smooth transition in Syria following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad.
Secretary of state Antony Blinken was set to visit Jordan and Turkey, while national security adviser Jake Sullivan planned stops in Israel, Qatar and Egypt in the coming days.
The Biden administration hopes that the recent ceasefire agreement between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon as well as the ouster of Assad, a close ally of Tehran, can help build momentum toward a Gaza accord
.“Hamas has got to be looking out at the world today and realising that the cavalry is not coming to rescue them,” White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said.
“One would hope that recent developments in Syria reinforce for them that they are just increasingly isolated and ought to take a deal.”
Syria’s former ruling party led by Assad suspends activities
04:30
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Syria’s Baath Party said it is suspending its work and activities until further notice as it deposed ousted ruler Bashar al-Assad.
All work and activity “will be suspended in all its forms until further notice,” a statement said on the party’s website.
The former ruling party, which has been led by the Assad family for decades, said that all its property, funds and weapons would be handed to police and law enforcement authorities.
“All the party’s property and funds will be placed under the supervision of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Justice, and its proceeds are to be deposited in the Central Syrian Bank.”
The Syrians vowing to rebuild their town
04:00
Jane Dalton
Bel Trew visits Jobar, north of Damascus, which was devastated by some of the fiercest battles of the civil war, and meets residents returning home for the first time in more than a decade:
US urges ‘close consultation’ with Israel on Syria
03:30
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
US defence secretary Lloyd Austin told his Israeli counterpart Israel Katz in a call that it was important for the US and Israel to be in close consultation over events unfolding in Syria.
Mr Austin told Mr Katz that Washington was monitoring developments in Syria and that it backed a peaceful, inclusive political transition, according to the Pentagon.
Following the collapse of the Assad regime, the Israeli military said its jets conducted hundreds of strikes in Syria and destroyed the bulk of Syria’s strategic weapons stockpiles.
“Secretary Austin emphasized the importance of close consultation between the United States and Israel on events in Syria,” the Pentagon said.
How Putin’s intelligence agents convinced Assad to flee Syria
02:52
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
Russian intelligence agents persuaded Bashar al-Assad to flee Syria with Moscow having become convinced that he would lose against the insurgents rapidly advancing on Damascus, sources have said.
Moscow offered Mr Assad a safe exit if he left the country immediately as the rebel forces led by former al-Qaeda offshoot Hayat Tahir al-Sham (HTS) approached, leading to the toppling of 50 years of rule by the Assad family.
Angus Thompson reports.
America’s closest ally in Syria losing ground
02:30
Jane Dalton
Biden aides to try to ensure peaceful transition of power
00:55
Jane Dalton
US president Joe Biden’s top aides are heading to the Middle East seeking to advance efforts to help ensure a smooth transition in Syria and reach a Gaza ceasefire.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken was set to visit Jordan and Turkey, while national security adviser Jake Sullivan planned stops in Israel, Qatar and Egypt in coming days, officials said.
Mr Blinken will “reiterate the United States’ support for an inclusive, Syrian-led transition to an accountable and representative government,” the State Department said.
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Luis Albares said on Wednesday the international community needs to establish ‘several red lines’ in any talks with the new Syrian leadership and move quickly to guarantee a peaceful future for the country.
In pictures: Syrians celebrate
Wednesday 11 December 2024 23:30
Jane Dalton
Premium: Dictators who build the biggest bunkers have the most fragile minds
Wednesday 11 December 2024 22:15
Jane Dalton
Ukraine ‘gave rebels drones'
Wednesday 11 December 2024 21:05
Jane Dalton
Syrian fighters received about 150 drones and other covert support from Ukrainian intelligence operatives last month, weeks ahead of the rebels’ advance that toppled Bashar al-Assad over the weekend, according to The Washington Post.
The paper said Ukrainian intelligence sent about 20 drone operators and about 150 first-person-view drones about four to five weeks ago to aid Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
Russia’s foreign ministry had earlier said the rebels had received drones from Ukraine and training in how to operate them, an accusation that Ukraine’s foreign ministry at the time said it categorically rejected.
Rebels will dissolve regime security forces, leader vows
Wednesday 11 December 2024 20:00
Jane Dalton
Syrian rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, better known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, has told Reuters he will dissolve the security forces of the toppled regime of Bashar al-Assad.
He also said his group that now rules most of Syria was working with international organisations to secure possible sites where chemical weapons may be located.
Kurds in Syria face an uncertain future
Wednesday 11 December 2024 19:00
Angus Thompson
The jihadi rebels who toppled Syrian President Bashar Assad say they want to build a unified, inclusive country. But after 14 years of civil war, putting that ideal into practice will not be easy.For Syria‘s Kurdish minority - America’s closest ally in the country - the struggle for a new order is entering a potentially even more challenging phase.
Over the course of Syria‘s civil war, Kurdish fighters have fended off an array of armed factions, partnered with the US to rout the Islamic State group and carved out a largely autonomous region in the country’s oil-rich east.But the gains of the non-Arab Kurds are now at risk. The ascendance of the Sunni Arab rebels who overthrew Assad — with vital help from Turkey, a longtime foe of the Kurds — will make it hard for the Kurds to find a place in the new Syria and could prolong the conflict.The jihadi rebels who rode into Damascus over the weekend have made peaceful overtures to the Kurds. But the rebels violently drove Kurdish fighters out of the eastern city of Deir al-Zour days after government forces abandoned it.To the north, a separate opposition faction backed by Turkey that has been battling the Kurds for years seized the town of Manbij. And Turkey carried out airstrikes on a Kurdish convoy it said was carrying heavy weapons looted from government arsenals.The Kurds have long counted on US aid in the face of such challenges.
Around 900 American troops are in eastern Syria, where they partner with Kurdish forces to prevent an Islamic State resurgence.
But the future of that mission will be thrown into doubt under president-elect Donald Trump, who has long been skeptical about US involvement in Syria.
What does fall of Assad in Syria mean for the Middle East and the West?
Wednesday 11 December 2024 18:40
Rachel Hagan
For over half a century, one family ruled Syria. Yet nearly overnight, as rebels advanced through the country and ultimately reached the capital, Damascus, that brutal reign came to an end.
After 13 years of civil war under the iron-fisted rule of former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, there is now hope for millions of Syrians who endured a campaign of barrel bombs, forced disappearances and torture.
But many questions remain as party lines shift and alliances in the region undergo dramatic changes.
How will the fall of the Assad regime reshape geopolitical dynamics worldwide, and what does it mean for key political players?
Safeguarding Russian bases and diplomats in Syria paramount: Kremlin
Wednesday 11 December 2024 18:20
Angus Thompson
The Kremlin says ensuring the security of Russia’s military bases and diplomatic missions in Syria is of paramount importance.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was maintaining contacts with those in charge in Syria and that it was hopeful stability would be achieved.
Russia, whose airforce carried out strikes against advancing Syrian rebels earlier this month, before Bashar al-Assad’s regime was toppled, has a key air base in Latakia province and a naval facility at Tartous, its only Mediterranean repair and replenishment.
The Kremlin also took aim at Israel’s strikes against the Golan Heights region, in the border area abbutting Israel and Lebanon, after Israeli forces moved into the territory to prevent militant groups from occupying regions along the border which could be used to launch offensives into its territory.
Russia said Israel’s actions on the front were unlikely to contribute to Syria’s stabilisation.
How Russian agents persuaded Assad to flee his failed regime
Wednesday 11 December 2024 18:00
Angus Thompson
Earlier, it was revealed Russian intelligence agents persuaded Bashar al-Assad to flee Syria with Moscow having become convinced that he would lose against the insurgents rapidly advancing on Damascus.
Sources have told Bloomberg Moscow offered Mr Assad a safe exit if he left the country immediately as the rebel forces led by former al-Qaeda offshoot Hayat Tahir al-Sham (HTS) approached, leading to the toppling of 50 years of rule by the Assad family.
According to a report by Bloomberg, citing three people with knowledge of the situation, Russian agents flew Mr Assad out via a Russian airbase in Syria, with the aircraft’s transponder turned off to avoid being tracked.
The new details follow confirmation by Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, that the Syrian dictator had been whisked out of the country “in the most secure way possible”.
“He is secured, and it shows that Russia acts as required in such an extraordinary situation,” he said during an interview with US television network NBC.
Who is Mohammed al-Bashir, Syria’s new interim PM?
Wednesday 11 December 2024 17:40
Angus Thompson
After more than half a century of the Assad family ruling over Syria, a little-known local politician has been named as the country’s interim leader and tasked with ushering in a stable government.
Three days on from rebels completing a sweeping offensive forcing Bashar Al-Assad, who succeeded his father as ruler, out of Syria and out of office, the country is looking to ensure a peaceful transition of power.
Mohammed al-Bashir, a politician who has been governing the rebel-controlled province of Idlib in northwest Syria, from which the offensive began, from January this year, has been made responsible for that transition.
In a brief address on state television on Tuesday, he announced that representatives of the rebels and the ousted government had agreed for him to act as caretaker until 1 March.
Rights group says Syrian refugees should not be forcefullly sent back
Wednesday 11 December 2024 17:20
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar
As debate swirls over what to do with millions of displaced Syrian refugees seeking asylum in Western nations, Human Rights Watch said earlier today no government should send Syrian refugees back forcefully.
The statement comes after several European nations, including the UK and Germany, this week announced plans to pause asylum applications for Syrian citizens.
“Every citizen has the right to return to their home country, safe or not. But because one refugee chooses to repatriate is no justification to forcibly return another who remains fearful, as many Syrian refugees do, especially given the country’s unstable and possibly dangerous conditions,” the group said.
“This approach carries real risks, especially given how keen some European states are to declare Syria safe and begin returns,” it said, adding that Syria remains “inherently volatile”.
Lib Dems urge Starmer to take lead on Syria
Wednesday 11 December 2024 17:00
Angus Thompson
Staying with the local political commentary on Syria, Lib Dems leader Ed Davey urged the government to take a lead role in ensuring the stability of Syria if the US wouldn’t do so.
Speaking during PMQs earlier, Sir Ed said he was worried many people around the world were worried at what would come next to fill the vacuum left by the Assad regime.
“Only an open political process can bring peace and stability, but that will require the full backing of the international community,” he told the House of Commons.
“Does the Prime Minister share my concern that President-elect Trump said about Syria, and I quote, ‘The United States should have nothing to do with it’?” he asked.
“If America walks away… will he step up and work with other allies to provide British leadership over Syria?”
In response, Keir Starmer said Sir Ed was right to categorise the fall of the Assad regime as a serious moment.
“We all welcome the fall of Assad, I hope this can be a turning point for Syria, a much-needed turning point, but that is by no means guaranteed and that is why we have been speaking intently and intensely with allies in the region, across the globe, about how we ensure that this is peaceful, it is political and it is a rejection of terrorism and violence,” the prime minister said.
Opposition asks whether Syrian refugees in Britain should return home
Wednesday 11 December 2024 16:41
Angus Thompson
The fate of Syrian asylum seekers in the UK has been a topic of debate in the House of Commons today.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp asked his Labour counterpart Yvette Cooper whether people who fled the Assad regime in recent years should return home “once safe”.
“Will the Home Secretary agree that given most, if not all, of these asylum claims are predicated on the threat posed to the individual by former president Assad, now that threat has gone and the basis for the asylum claim has gone, it would be reasonable to ask those Syrians claiming asylum on that basis, or recently granted asylum on that basis, to return once safe?” he asked.
Ms Cooper appeared, at least in part, to agree, saying many claims had been made for asylum against the Assad regime.
“It would therefore not be appropriate to be granting asylum decisions on those cases in the current circumstances,” she said.
Badenoch urges Starmer to strip Assad backers of citizenship
Wednesday 11 December 2024 16:25
Richard Wheeler, Angus Thompson
Conservatives leader Kemi Badenoch has urged Keir Starmer to remove UK citizenship from any “jihadi terrorists and supporters of Assad” who want to return from Syria.
Ms Badenoch used PMQs this afternoon to claim the fall of Bashar Assad’s regime could increase small boat arrivals to the UK, as she also attacked Prime Minister Sir Keir’s record on immigration.
Sir Keir opened PMQs by welcoming the fall of the Assad regime, telling MPs: “The people of Syria suffered for far too long under his brutal regime.
“What comes next is far from certain. We’ve been talking to regional and global allies to ensure that it is a political solution which protects civilians and minorities, and absolutely rejects terrorism and violence,” he said.
Signs of Syrians wanting to return home, parliament told
Wednesday 11 December 2024 16:10
Angus Thompson
Earlier in the House of Commons, home secretary Yvette Cooper said the government was keeping Syrian asylum claims under “constant review”.
Ms Cooper said there are “initial signs” of people wanting to return to Syria from Turkey, although she told MPs that the situation remained unstable.
“As the foreign secretary (David Lammy) told the House, we welcome the fall of the Assad regime, but we continue to monitor closely this fast-moving situation where there is significant risk of instability,” she said.
“Considering this, I have taken the decision to temporarily pause decisions on Syrian asylum claims,” she said, in a message echoeing that of many European governments this week.
“We will, of course, continue to keep all guidance relating to these asylum claims under constant review, and we will keep the House updated in the normal way.”
Syrian PM says ‘wrongful actions’ of Islamists groups led West to associate Islam with extremism
Wednesday 11 December 2024 15:55
Angus Thompson
Asked by the newspaper whether this government intended to pursue a new Islamic State, Mr Bashir said the “wrongful actions” of some Islamist groups had led the West to associate Islam with extremism.
“There were mistakes and misunderstandings that distorted the true meaning of Islam, which is ‘the religion of justice.’ Precisely because we are Islamic, we will guarantee the rights of all people and all communities in Syria,” he told Corriere Della Sera.
Mr Bashir is the head of the Syrian Salvation Government, an HTS-controlled administration. There are western fears that HTS, which had past associations with al-Qaeda, would reignite extremism in the region in the vacuum left by Assad.
Mr Bashir said his government had already reached out to Iraq, China, and other nations “to explain that our revolution’s aim was to free Syrians from Bashar Assad. And everyone understood.”
“Therefore, we have no issues with any state, party, or sect that has distanced itself from Assad’s bloodthirsty regime,” he said.
Interim government will pursue those ‘responsible for bloodbath’: new PM
Wednesday 11 December 2024 15:35
Angus Thompson
In the lengthy interview with Corriere Della Sera, Mr Bashir said of a list of some-160 people the new authority was pursuing that it included “those responsible for the bloodbath”.
“They are well-known figures who tortured and killed. In most cases, their crimes are documented by international institutions and non-governmental human rights organisations,” he told the Italian newspaper.
“Many are also under sanctions by Western governments for egregious human rights violations and war crimes. They will be judged according to current Syrian laws.”
He said the Salvation Government would remain in office until March, but warned in the meantime they had inherited a country in a poor financial state.
“The debt is enormous, the challenge monumental, but we have the experience of Idlib [the province where he last governed], where we made good progress,” he said.
“Of course, a province is not the same as the entire country, but we feel the situation in Syria can be improved. It will take time, but we will get there.”
Syrian interim PM calls for refugees to return to restart the country
Wednesday 11 December 2024 15:21
Angus Thompson
The interim prime minister of Syria says he wants to restore stability and security to the cities and bring back the millions of refugees “scattered around the world”.
In an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera, Muhammed al Bashir, the head of the so-called ‘Salvation Government’, listed his temporary administration’s top-three priorities, which also included planning for the delivery of essential services like food, water and electricity.
Mr Bashir said the return of Syrian refugees would help restart the country, appealing for citizens abroad to come back.
“Syria is now a free country that has regained its pride and dignity. Come back. We need to rebuild, to get our country on its feet again, and we need everyone’s help,” he said.
‘Our duty to support Syrian leaders’: Guterres
Wednesday 11 December 2024 15:10
Angus Thompson
UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres says it is the duty of the intergovernmental body to support the leadership of Syria towards peace.
“It’s our duty to do everything to support different Syrian leaders to make sure that they come together,” he said during a visit to South Africa on Wednesday.
Western leaders have celebrated the ousting of Bashar al-Assad but are wary of the new administration that will replace him, with the leading rebel group HTS considered a terror group by the UK and US.
Antony Blinken to return to Middle East this week
Wednesday 11 December 2024 14:40
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is returning to the Middle East this week, in his first visit since the removal of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.
Mr Blinken will travel to Jordan and Turkey on Thursday and Friday for talks expected to focus largely on Syria but also touch on long-elusive hopes for a deal to end the fighting in Gaza that has devastated the territory since October 2023.
The visit also comes in the wake of the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, ending one element of the multi-pronged conflict plaguing the region.
The US State Department said Mr Blinken would meet Jordanian officials, including King Abdullah II, in the port city of Aqaba on Thursday before flying to Ankara for meetings with Turkish officials on Friday.
Other stops in the region are also possible, officials said.
Mr Blinken “will reiterate the United States’ support for an inclusive, Syrian-led transition to an accountable and representative government”, department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
UN chief Guterres says Assad’s ousting shows signs of hope
Wednesday 11 December 2024 14:20
Reuters, Angus Thompson
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said during a visit to South Africa on Wednesdy that there were some signs of hope from the end of the Syrian dictatorship.
Mr Guterres added after meeting South Africa’s foreign minister Ronald Lamola that the United Nations was totally committed to a smooth transition of power in Syria.
“I fully trust Syrian people to be able to choose their own destiny,” Guterres said.
His comments come after HTS, the rebel group that led the insurgency against Damascus, assured western leaders that their fears of chaos and extremist violence were unfounded.
German defence minister says Syria is a warning to Putin’s allies
Wednesday 11 December 2024 13:58
Reuters, Angus Thompson
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has warned that the toppling of the Assad regime demonstrates countries who sidle up to Russia can only rely on Moscow so long as they are of use to President Vladimir Putin.
Mr Pistorius made a stop-over at the Al-Azraq air base in Jordan on his way to Iraq, where he will discuss ways to help stabilise the region.
The minister said Germany’s military involvement in the Middle East, which include some 600 troops, would rather be ramped up following the weekend’s dramatic events.
Germany has had troops in Iraq since 2015 to assist local forces trying to prevent a resurgence of Islamic State which in 2014 seized large swaths of Iraq and Syria but was later pushed back.
Rebel leader warns Assad’s torturers will not be pardoned
Wednesday 11 December 2024 13:35
Angus Thompson
The leader of the insurgency that toppled the Assad regime has warned the country’s new leadership will not pardon anyone involved in torturing and killing people imprisoned under the dictatorship.
In a statement published on Syrian state TV’s Telegram channel, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, said the new interim government would pursue the culprits in Syria and called on any countries harbouring them to return them to Syria.
“We will pursue them in Syria, and we ask countries to hand over those who fled so we can achieve justice,” he said.
After ousting Assad, rebels broke into prisons and security facilities to free political prisoners – and people who disappeared – in the years since civil war erupted in 2011.
Abu Mohammed al-Golani, who’s real name is Ahmad al-Sharaa, is the militant leader of HTS, who has spent years working to remake his public image by renouncing longtime ties to al-Qaida and depicting himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance.
HTS is banned in the UK because of its past association with al Qaida, the terrorist organisation once led by Osama bin Laden.
On Monday the UK Government said it would make a swift decision on whether to lift the ban on Islamist group after it swept to power in Syria by ousting Assad’s regime.
Rebel fights burn tomb of Bashar al-Assad’s father
Wednesday 11 December 2024 13:17
Angus Thompson
Rebel fighters have set fire to the tomb of Syria‘s former president Hafez Assad in his hometown in the country’s northwest.
A war monitor and a local journalist told AP of the insurgents’ actions on Wednesday, in the wake of the fall of the regime governed by Hafez Assad’s son, who fled to Russia on the weekend.Hafez Assad had ruled Syria for 30 years until his death in 2000, when Bashar succeded him.
Rebel fighters were photographed standing with the flag of the revolution on the burned grave site of the late former ruler.
‘We have no one here’: Syrian refugees return home from Turkey
Wednesday 11 December 2024 12:54