UNITED NATIONS, Dec 08 (APP): As Syrian rebels declared an end to President Bashar al-Assad’s rule after seizing control of Damascus, UN’s Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, said Sunday that the developments in the Arab country underscore the clear desire expressed by millions of Syrians that stable and inclusive transitional arrangements are put in place.
In a statement, he urged all Syrians to prioritize dialogue, unity, and respect for international humanitarian law and human rights as they seek to rebuild their society, adding he stands ready to support the Syrian people in their journey toward a stable and inclusive future.
Hassan Abdul-Ghani, senior commander of the opposition group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, claimed victory for the rebel forces that had stormed across Syria in a matter of days and entered Damascus overnight, forcing Assad to flee and ending his family’s decades of rule after more than 13 years of civil war.
“Today marks a watershed moment in Syria’s history – a nation that has endured nearly 14 years of relentless suffering and unspeakable loss… This dark chapter has left deep scars, but today we look forward with cautious hope to the opening of a new one – one of peace, reconciliation, dignity, and inclusion for all Syrians,” Pedersen, the UN envoy, said.
The UN envoy, who has been attending a high-level meeting of Arab States in Doha this weekend, also issued an appeal for the new rulers in Damascus to ensure a stable transfer of power and to maintain the country’s institutions.
This was the “clear desire” of millions of Syrians, Pedersen insisted, so that they can ultimately see their “legitimate aspirations” fulfilled “and restore a unified Syria, with its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, in a way that can receive the support and engagement of the entire international community”.
On the other hand, UN’s top humanitarian official said that aid teams will continue to provide emergency relief wherever possible.
“We will respond wherever, whenever, however we can to support people in need, including reception centres – food, water, fuel, tents, blankets,” said Tom Fletcher, Emergency Relief Coordinator and head of the UN aid coordination office, OCHA.
The hostilities have uprooted more than 370,000 people inside Syria, according to OCHA, “with many seeking refuge in the northeast and others trapped in front-line areas, unable to escape”, the UN’s senior aid official in Syria, Adam Abdelmoula, said on Saturday. “Civilian casualties, including women and children, continue to rise, underscoring the urgent need for coordinated humanitarian action.”
After sweeping into Syria’s second city, Aleppo, Hama, Homs and now Damascus have fallen in quick succession, despite suggestions that the Security Council-designated terrorist group lacked the means to sustain their stunning gains.
In the immediate aftermath of HTS’s reported victory and declaration to the millions of Syrians displaced by the conflict that “a free Syria awaits you”, news reports indicated that opposition forces met little resistance in taking Damascus.
Years of fighting between Government troops reinforced foreign State-backed fighters against opposition forces including ISIL extremists – now essentially pushed out of Syria – have devastated Syria, despite repeated calls for peace via several rounds of UN-led negotiations in Geneva, the UN said.
On the sidelines of his official visit to the Doha Forum, Pedersen, the UN envoy, also spoke to the representatives of Turkey, Iran and Russia – the so-called Astana Group – who had gathered to discuss the opposition forces’ rapid gains in Syria.
In a joint statement issued ahead of the fall of Damascus by the Astana members and the Foreign Ministers of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan Egypt and Iraq, they urged an end to the fighting and expressed their support for UN-led efforts to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis, based on Security Council Resolution 2254.
As events in Syria continued to unfold, the UN’s top aid official, Tom Fletcher, stressed the need to uphold international humanitarian law “to protect civilians, including aid workers”.
That appeal followed reports of a deadly airstrike at Syria’s Ad Dabousiyah border crossing with Lebanon on 27 November in which a Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) volunteer was killed, along with multiple civilians. The incident led to the suspension of all UN humanitarian convoys into Syria.
Although “essential” humanitarian operations have been maintained inside Syria, the UN has begun to relocate “non-critical staff” from the country as a precautionary step, the UN’s top aid official in the country has said.
“This is not an evacuation and our dedication to supporting the people of Syria remains unwavering,” and stressed that “rumours suggesting that the United Nations is evacuating all staff from Syria are false,” insisted Adam Abdelmoula.
Meanwhile, in the wake of reports that a coalition of forces has seized the Syrian capital and freed prisoners from Sednaya and other detention facilities, the UN human rights probe on the situation called today “a historic new beginning for the Syrian people who have suffered unspeakable violence and atrocities over the past 14 years.’
“It is time to finally put Syrians’ own aspirations first and place the country on a path toward a stable, prosperous and just future that guarantees the human rights and dignity its people have so long been denied,” said the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria said in a statement.
For decades, Sednaya and other infamous detention facilities have been synonymous with fear, loss, suffering and cruelty. The cells where detainees were ill-treated are now open, as are the interrogation chambers where they were tortured using cruel methods that the Commission has documented for years.
The Commission called on all parties in Syria to facilitate access for independent humanitarian and human rights actors, including the Commission, to the country, including detention facilities. It stresses the importance of ensuring that all evidence is protected.
Both opposition and Government leadership have made initial statements indicating their commitment to maintaining good conduct and protecting civilians, which is encouraging. Their deeds must now match their words, stated the Commission.
Meanwhile, leaders around the world have been reacting to the dramatic developments in Syria:
In Washington, a statement issued by the White House said, “President (Joe) Biden and his team are closely monitoring the extraordinary events in Syria and staying in constant touch with regional partners.”
US President-elect Donald Trump posted on Truth Social said, “Assad is gone. He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer.
“Russia and Iran are in a weakened state right now, one because of Ukraine and a bad economy, the other because of Israel and its fighting success.”
The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has left office and departed the country after giving orders for there to be a peaceful handover of power.
The ministry did not say where Assad was now and said Russia did not take part in the talks around his departure.
it said Russia’s military bases in Syria had been put on a state of high alert, but that there was no serious threat to them at the current time.
The statement said that Moscow is in touch with all Syrian opposition groups and urges all sides to refrain from violence.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, said at a press conference in Doha, “Syria has reached a stage where the Syrian people will shape the future of their own country, today there is hope.”
He added, “The Syrian people cannot do this alone. Turkey attaches importance to Syrian territorial integrity.
“A new Syrian administration must be established inclusively, there should be no desire for revenge. Turkey calls on all actors to act with prudence and to be watchful.
“Terrorist organizations must not be allowed to take advantage of this situation. Opposition groups must be united. We will work for stability and safety in Syria.
US Pentagon Official Daniel Shapiro said, “The United States will continue to maintain its presence in eastern Syria and will take measures necessary to prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State.”
Shapiro, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for the Middle East, called on all parties to protect civilians, particularly minorities, and respect international norms.
