France’s “absolute priority” remains the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said on Thursday (5 February) during talks with his Syrian counterpart in Damascus, as Paris reassesses its counter-terrorism strategy.
Barrot met Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani as part of a regional tour that will also take him to Iraq later on Thursday and Lebanon on Friday, according to the French foreign ministry.
“For 10 years, France has fought relentlessly and mercilessly against the terrorists of Daesh in Iraq as well as in Syria,” Barrot said, using the Arabic acronym for IS.
“I have come to reaffirm this absolute priority of France here in Syria,” he added.
The visit comes weeks after Syrian government forces moved to reassert control over swathes of northeastern Syria, previously overseen by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which had been guarding thousands of detained IS fighters and their families.
Analysts say Western officials fear the reconfiguration of security arrangements could create security gaps. They warn this could allow Islamic State militants to regroup or escape, raising concerns about a possible resurgence of the jihadist group.
Until now, the SDF had served as the main on-the-ground partner of the Western-led anti-IS coalition. Under pressure from Damascus, the Kurdish-led force is now set to integrate into the Syrian army, altering the balance of cooperation against IS.
A French diplomatic source said Western powers would need to work with Syria’s government to contain the IS threat but warned of limited trust, citing Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s past as a jihadist.
“This is not the same history, the same reflexes developed together, or the same bonds of trust,” the source said.
Al-Sharaa, who overthrew former president Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, has sought to consolidate control over the entire country, including Kurdish-held areas in the north and northeast.
Barrot’s discussions in Damascus also covered the integration of Syria’s ethnic and religious minorities into the country’s emerging political order.
France, which has long positioned itself as a defender of Kurdish rights, is expected to press Damascus to honour an agreement announced last week on integrating Kurdish institutions and forces into the Syrian state.
That deal effectively ended Kurdish hopes of preserving the autonomous administration they established during Syria’s civil war, which ravaged the country between 2011 and 2024.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it has captured a second U.S. military unmanned underwater vehicle in the Strait of Horm...
The European Union is considering targeted accession roadmaps for Ukraine, Moldova, Montenegro and Albania, offering clearer reform priorities and ...
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has arrived in Washington for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on bilateral ties and ...
Iran has called for a diplomatic solution after U.S. President Donald Trump rejected its Hormuz proposal, while Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran was awaiting a definitive U.S. response through mediators.
A Russian guided aerial bomb has struck an apartment building in Kharkiv, injuring 22 people, including children, according to the city’s mayor. The strike follows a day of near-continuous Russian attacks across Ukraine that killed at least five people.
British police have arrested five men on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act after a major security incident was declared near RAF Fairford, a British air base used by U.S. air forces in Gloucestershire, England.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has arrived in Washington for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on bilateral ties and key regional and international developments, Saudi state news agency SPA reported.
Six people have died after a two-storey residential building in a tourist area of central Athens collapsed, the Greek fire brigade said on Saturday (26 September), following an explosion that the mayor said was likely linked to gas infrastructure.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it has captured a second U.S. military unmanned underwater vehicle in the Strait of Hormuz, as tensions between Tehran and Washington remain high.
Pakistan and Afghanistan have traded fresh accusations over alleged militant activity in Afghanistan’s northeastern Nuristan province as tensions between the two neighbours escalate.
Willy Sagnol’s six-year spell as Georgia head coach has ended, closing a historic chapter that saw the country reach its first European Championship and advance to the last 16.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Washington on Monday for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio as Houthi attacks increase pressure on Riyadh and threaten Red Sea shipping.
Over the past few years, Uzbekistan has expanded its startup ecosystem, IT exports and digital infrastructure - all highlighted recently as the country hosted ICTWEEK 2026. The next challenge is turning that growth into a larger part of the economy.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment