Leader of new Syrian administration, Ahmed al Sharaa (R) and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan hold a joint press conference after their meeting in Damascus, Syria, December 22, 2024. /CFP
Two weeks after seizing power in a sweeping offensive, Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa on Sunday said weapons in the country, including those held by Kurdish-led forces, would come under state control.
During a press conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Sharaa said Syria's armed "factions will begin to announce their dissolution and enter" the army.
"We will absolutely not allow there to be weapons in the country outside state control, whether from the revolutionary factions or the factions present in the SDF area," Sharaa added, referring to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.
Sharaa also said "we are working on protecting sects and minorities from any attacks that occur between them" and from "external" actors exploiting the situation "to cause sectarian discord."
"Syria is a country for all and we can coexist together."
Fidan said sanctions on Syria must "be lifted as soon as possible." The Turkish foreign minister called for the international community to "mobilize to help Syria get back on its feet and for the displaced people to return."
Syria's nearly 14-year civil war killed more than half a million people and displaced more than half its population, with many of them fleeing to neighboring countries, including three million in Türkiye.
A man looks out to the devastation while clearing rubble and debris from a house in south of Damascus, Syria, December 22, 2024. /CFP
Along with Syria's reconstruction, multiple countries including Egypt and Saudi Arabia have stepped up contacts with the war-ravaged country's new leaders, reflecting a broader reassessment of relations with Damascus as the country navigates a sensitive political transition following the downfall of the previous government on December 8.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov held a phone talk on Sunday to discuss the developments in Syria, according to a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.
During the phone conversation, the two senior diplomats highlighted the necessity for international collaboration to support Syria, and the significance to respect its sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, the statement said, calling for coordinated efforts among all active parties to assist Syria in navigating its current transitional phase.
The two ministers stressed that any support provided must prioritize the interests of all Syrian people, across all spectrums and components of society, according to the statement.
This support, they continued, should facilitate a comprehensive, Syrian-led political process aimed at restoring stability and preserving the security, future, and capabilities of the Syrian people.
Also on Sunday, a Saudi Arabian delegation led by a royal court advisor on Sunday met with Sharaa at the presidential palace in the Syrian capital of Damascus, according to Al-Arabiya TV.
Details of the meeting have not been disclosed, and neither side issued an immediate statement.
On the same day, Saudi Arabia's King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center distributed food baskets and hygiene kits to 551 families in northern Syria's Aleppo, the second phase of a project providing support to those affected by the earthquake in early 2024, said the official Saudi Press Agency.
(With input from agencies)