Türkiye stresses importance of keeping Syria out of regional war

Türkiye’s ambassador to the United Nations, Ahmet Yildiz, has called for Syria to be shielded from the effects of the ongoing regional war, warning that instability could threaten the country’s recovery.

Addressing the UN Security Council on Wednesday, Yildiz praised the Syrian government for keeping the country out of the weeks-long conflict between Iran, Israel and the U.S., saying it was “essential to keep Syria insulated from these tensions.”

He also condemned ongoing Israeli attacks on neighbouring Lebanon, which, he said, have displaced more than one million people and forced tens of thousands to cross the border into Syria.

“In the face of this large-scale population movement, it is of the utmost importance that UN agencies continue to provide the necessary support to the Syrian government,” Yildiz said.

The Turkish diplomat also called on Israel to withdraw its forces from areas of south-western Syria that it occupied in late 2024, in the immediate wake of the Assad government’s collapse.

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Yildiz added that stability in south-western Syria must be achieved in full compliance with the Separation of Forces Agreement, signed in 1974, and with respect for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Regarding post-Assad Syria’s political trajectory, Yildiz appeared cautiously optimistic, saying recent progress in the security, political and economic spheres indicated that the war-torn country was on a “hopeful and constructive path.”

Syria stays out of fight

Under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose government enjoys close relations with Ankara, Syria has so far remained uninvolved in the current regional conflict, now in its third week.

On Tuesday, Reuters reported, citing multiple sources, that Washington had called on Syria to send forces into eastern Lebanon to help disarm Hezbollah, which remains locked in fierce fighting with Israel.

However, Damascus has so far expressed reluctance, sources said, for fear of drawing Syria into a wider Middle Eastern war and inflaming sectarian tensions at home.

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News Politics Türkiye Syria United Nations President Ahmed al-Sharaa Damascus Ankara Diplomacy Israel United States Iran