• Source:AFP
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Global diplomatic efforts surged in Syria a week after rebels ousted President Bashar al-Assad, who fled to Moscow following decades of authoritarian rule. The United Nations and key international players including the United Nations, USA, Turkey and Israel have begun engaging with Syria's interim leadership to shape the country's future.

Turkey reopened its Damascus embassy after a 12-year hiatus and expressed readiness to provide military assistance to the new government. Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler emphasized Ankara's willingness to support the interim leadership.

Western nations are also engaging cautiously. Britain's foreign minister, David Lammy, acknowledged contact with HTS despite its designation as a terrorist organisation. Similarly, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed direct communication with the group. France plans to send a diplomatic team to Damascus to evaluate humanitarian needs and reestablish ties. 

Qatar also dispatched a delegation to Damascus, reiterating its support for the Syrian people and announcing the reopening of its embassy, which was closed since 2011. Unlike other Arab nations, Qatar never reconciled with Bashar al-Assad's regime. Meanwhile, Russia, a longstanding ally of Bashar al-Assad, evacuated diplomatic staff from its Hmeimim airbase on Sunday.

UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen arrived in Damascus on Sunday, emphasising the importance of accountability and justice for wartime atrocities. "We must ensure justice through credible systems without succumbing to revenge," he stated. Geir Pedersen also met with Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, the rebel leader heading the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, a meeting confirmed via HTS's Telegram channel.

Ahmad al-Sharaa, Syria's interim leader, urged the United Nations to reassess the 2015 Security Council roadmap for Syria during discussions with UN Special Envoy Geir Pedersen. The roadmap, drafted amidst earlier conflicts, may require adjustments to address the country's current realities.

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Israel continued its military campaign in Syria, targeting key installations. Strikes hit missile bases in Tartus, radar systems at Deir Al-Zour Military Airport and munitions depots near Damascus, Syrian authorities said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights described the Tartus bombardment as the most intense in over a decade.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented on the evolving dynamics, stating, "Israel's policy toward Syria will align with the reality on the ground." However, Israel's recent deployment of troops into the UN buffer zone in the Golan Heights has drawn criticism from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Nations for violating the 1974 armistice.

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Bashar al-Assad fled Syria on December 8 after an 11-day rebel offensive led by HTS. The civil war, sparked by a brutal crackdown on protests in 2011, has killed over 500,000 people and displaced millions.

As stability slowly returns, challenges abound. Damascus’s interim governor, Maher Marwan, highlighted the massive destruction to infrastructure and societal structures. Schools reopened, but attendance remains sparse, with only 30 per cent of students returning.

The interim government, led by HTS, faces scrutiny over minority rights. While the group has softened its rhetoric, concerns persist regarding the protection of religious and ethnic communities. On Sunday, Syrian Christians attended their first church service since Assad’s departure, a sign of tentative optimism.