Guterres arrives in Syria in first official visit by a UN chief in 17 years

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres volition conscionable President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who was nether UN Security Council sanctions until past year.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has landed successful Syria, marking the archetypal authoritative sojourn by a serving UN main successful 17 years.

Guterres arrived connected Saturday greeting astatine Damascus planetary airport, wherever helium and his delegation were met by Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, Syria’s authorities quality bureau reported.

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During the trip, Guterres volition conscionable President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a erstwhile al-Qaeda commandant who was under UN Security Council sanctions until past year.

The UN chief’s sojourn is simply a archetypal since 2009, earlier the country’s bloody 14-year civilian warfare broke out. It is yet different diplomatic milestone for al-Sharaa, who has sought to rebuild planetary ties since helium took powerfulness aft the 2024 ouster of Syria’s longtime person Bashar al-Assad.

Guterres volition besides clasp talks with al-Shaibani, different authorities officials and representatives of Syrian civilian society.

The sojourn volition see a tract circuit to inspect the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), stationed successful the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, arsenic portion of efforts to show commitments nether the ceasefire statement with Israel.

‘Stable, much inclusive Syria’

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Guterres plans to item that Syria has an accidental to “not lone to retrieve from conflict, but besides to laic the foundations for a aboriginal for Syria that volition beryllium much stable, much inclusive, and much prosperous for each Syrians”.

Guterres is expected to beryllium successful Damascus for respective days, but the afloat docket of his sojourn has not been released by his office. He is expected to code Syria’s caller parliament connected Monday.

The sojourn besides comes conscionable weeks aft two bombs exploded adjacent a hotel successful Damascus wherever French President Emmanuel Macron spent the night, overshadowing the archetypal sojourn to Syria by a European Union caput of authorities since al-Assad was toppled.

Syrian authorities person said they person uncovered the compartment responsible for the bombings, arresting suspects affiliated with the ISIL (ISIS) group.