News|United NationsUNSC delegation visits Syria on first trip a year after al-Assad’s fallThe UN says the visit comes ‘at a crucial time for the region’, as it seeks to bolster ties with Syria.
A United Nations Security Council (UNSC) delegation has arrived in Syria for its inaugural visit, as reported by state media. The visit occurs just before the first anniversary of the former ruler Bashar al-Assad's ousting.
A United Nations Security Council (UNSC) delegation has arrived in Syria for its inaugural visit, as reported by state media. The visit occurs just before the first anniversary of the former ruler Bashar al-Assad's ousting.
The delegation entered Syria via the Jdeidet Yabous border crossing with Lebanon and is scheduled to meet Syrian officials and civil society members, according to the state news agency SANA on Thursday.
Following their arrival, the delegation visited the heavily damaged suburb of Jobar in the capital, Damascus. The diplomats are expected to meet with Syria’s new authorities, including President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Subsequent visits to neighboring Lebanon are planned for Friday and Saturday.
The UNSC recently lifted sanctions against President al-Sharaa, a former rebel leader whose forces were instrumental in ousting al-Assad. The UN has emphasized the importance of an inclusive transition in Syria. With international legitimacy as a priority, the Syrian government is working to mitigate sectarian violence.
In recent incidents, the killing of a Bedouin couple near Homs threatened to escalate into sectarian violence. However, security forces, in cooperation with tribal leaders, managed to stabilize the situation.
A United Nations Security Council (UNSC) delegation has arrived in Syria for its inaugural visit, as reported by state media.
Over the past year, Syria has faced intensified Israeli military actions, despite the Syrian government’s stance against hostilities. Most recently, an Israeli raid resulted in 13 casualties in Beit Jinn, southwest of Damascus.
Israel has occupied the Golan Heights since the 1967 war and expanded its territory post-al-Assad's fall, violating a 1974 agreement. Negotiations for a security agreement between Israel and Syria have been ongoing, though progress has been limited.
Slovenian UN ambassador Samuel Zbogar stated at a news conference that the UNSC visit to Syria and Lebanon marks the first official visit of its kind to the Middle East in six years. Slovenia holds the UNSC's rotating presidency.
Zbogar highlighted the significance of the visit for regional stability and acknowledged the new Syrian authorities' efforts towards transition. The visit also aims to express support and foster dialogue between the UN and Syria.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, expressed hope that the visit would enhance dialogue between the United Nations and Syria.
Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.
