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Published December 10, 2024last updated December 10, 2024Russia said UN Security Council members were “more or less united” on preserving Syrian territorial integrity. Meanwhile, the US is considering ways to deal with Syria’s rebels. DW has more.
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Hundreds of Syrians have been gathering at border crossings as they look to return following the ousting of President Bashar AssadImage: Metin Yoksu/AP Photo/picture allianceSkip next section What you need to knowWhat you need to know UN Security Council members meet to discuss the unfolding situation in Syria Governments are considering how best to deal with Syria’s rebel factions Here are the latest developments from and regarding Syria on Tuesday, December 10.
Skip next section UN Security Council meets to discuss situation in SyriaDecember 10, 2024
UN Security Council meets to discuss situation in SyriaMembers of the United Nations Security Council have held talks to discuss the unfolding situation in Syria following the ousting of President Bashar Assad on Sunday.
“The Council, I think, was more or less united on the need to preserve the territorial integrity and unity of Syria, to ensure the protection of civilians, to ensure that humanitarian aid is coming,” said Russian UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia following the emergency meeting requested by Moscow.
“But look, everyone was taken by surprise by the events, everyone, including the members of the council. So we have to wait,” to see how the situation will evolve, he said.
Russia has been a strong ally of Assad and has supported the Syrian regime’s military operations directly since 2015.
Deputy US Ambassador Robert Wood meanwhile called it “a very fluid situation.”
“No one expected the Syrian forces to fall like a house of cards,” he continued.
Woods noted that “just about everyone spoke about the need for Syria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence to be respected, and concern about the humanitarian situation,” indicating the council is working on a joint statement.
“The intention is for the council to speak with one voice on the situation in Syria,” he said.
World watches Syria’s future with hope and concernTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
China’s UN Ambassador Fu Cong said after the council meeting that “the situation needs to be stabilized and there has to be an inclusive political process, and also there should not be a resurgence of terrorist forces.”
Syria’s UN ambassador Koussay Aldahhak told reporters that his diplomatic mission and all Syrian embassies abroad had been instructed to continue doing their job and maintain the state institution during the period of transition.
“Now we are waiting for the new government, but meanwhile we are continuing with the current one and the leadership,” he said, adding that Syrian Foreign Minister Bassam Sabbagh — who was appointed by Assad — was still in Damascus.
“We are with the Syrian people. We will keep defending and working for the Syrian people. So we will continue our work until further notice,” Aldahhak told reporters outside the council.
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Skip next section Events in Syria up until nowDecember 10, 2024
Events in Syria up until nowSunday saw Syrian President Bashar Assad ousted after a nearly 14-year civil war following a lightning offensive launched by Islamist-led rebels, who managed to sweep into Damascus.
Assad was forced to flee to Russia, as per Russian media reports, where he has been granted asylum in Moscow, bringing an end to more than 50 years of his family’s iron fist rule.
Tens of thousands of prisoners have been freed from Syria’s notorious prisons over the past week.
Videos shared on social media showed jubilant scenes as released prisoners celebrated on the streets of the capital, Damascus, and other cities including Aleppo, Homs and Hama.
Syrians look for loved ones in notorious Damascus prisonTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Western governments including Germany and the UK have said they will be closely monitoring Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) — the Islamist militant group that led the rebel coalition that toppled Assad.
HTS is designated as a terrorist group by the US and the United Nations, although it has spent years trying to soften its image to reassure international governments and minority groups within Syria.
The European Union has called for an “orderly, peaceful and inclusive transition” in Syria after Assad fled, but said it had not yet sought contact with the Islamist rebels that ousted him in a lightning offensive lasting less than a fortnight.
Meanwhile, thousands of Syrian refugees have gathered at the Turkish border, hoping to return home.
Austria, Germany, Britain, France, Italy and other European countries said on Monday they would suspend their appraisals of Syrian asylum applications, adding it was obviously not possible to gauge security and stability in the country at present.
kb/rmt (Reuters, AP, AFP, dpa)
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