Germany to hold talks with HTS in Damascus, exploring Syria's transition, minority protection, and potential diplomatic presence after Assad's overthrow.
Germany plans talks with representatives of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Damascus on Tuesday, the foreign ministry said, joining the United States and Britain in establishing contact with the Islamist group after it led the overthrow of Syria's Bashar al-Assad.
German diplomats' first talks with representatives of the HTS-appointed interim government will focus on a transitional process for Syria and the protection of minorities, a spokesperson for the German foreign ministry said.
"The possibilities of a diplomatic presence in Damascus are also being explored there," the spokesperson added in a statement, reiterating that Berlin was monitoring HTS closely in light of its roots in al Qaeda ideology.
"As far as one can tell, they have acted prudently so far," the spokesperson said of the group, whose rebels led the ouster of Assad earlier this month, ending 13 years of war.
The conflict triggered the movement of some one million Syrian refugees to Germany. Its end has stoked debate in the country on asylum procedures, now paused for Syrians pending an assessment of the situation in their home country.
Germany is liaising closely with its partners, including the US, France and Britain, as well as Arab states, on Syria, the German ministry spokesperson said.
The United States is set to deploy an additional 200 troops to Nigeria as part of expanded counterterrorism cooperation, according to a senior Nigeria...
BMW is recalling a mid six figure number of vehicles worldwide after identifying a potential fire risk linked to the starter motor....
U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister of Israel Trump hosted Netanyahu for closed-door talks focused on negotiations with Tehran, Gaza and wi...
Italy will not join U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace because of constitutional constraints, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Wedn...
The 18-year-old fatally shot her mother and stepbrother along with seven others at the school before taking her own life. Authorities said her motive ...
NATO member Türkiye has dispatched several military aircraft to Germany, along with roughly 2,000 troops, to take part in the Western alliance’s largest annual military exercise.
Double world champion Max Langenhan delivered a dominant performance to win men’s luge singles gold on Sunday (8 February), breaking the track record four consecutive times as Germany extended its grip on the sport, now winning four of the past five Olympic titles.
Kazakhstan sharply increased oil shipments to Europe in January, exporting 310,000 tonnes to Germany and sending a further 106,000 tonnes via the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline.
German authorities have arrested five people suspected of running a criminal network to circumvent European Union sanctions by exporting goods to at least 24 sanctioned Russian defence companies, the federal prosecutor’s office said on Monday.
JD Vance arrived in Armenia on Monday (9 February), becoming the first sitting U.S. Vice President to visit the country, as Yerevan and Washington agreed to cooperate in the civil nuclear sector in a bid to deepen engagement in the South Caucasus.
The United States and Azerbaijan signed a strategic partnership in Baku on Tuesday (10 February) encompassing economic and security cooperation as Washington seeks to expand its influence in a region where Russia was once the main power broker.
Buckingham Palace said it is ready to support any police investigation into allegations that Prince Andrew shared confidential British trade documents with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as King Charles expressed “profound concern” over the latest revelations.
“Peace is not just about signing treaties - it’s about communication, interaction and integration,” Sultan Zahidov, leading adviser at the AIR Center, told AnewZ, suggesting U.S. Vice President JD Vance's visit to the South Caucasus could advance the peace agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis arrived in Ankara on Wednesday, where Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held an official welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace, marking the start of high-level talks between the two NATO allies.
The United States is set to deploy an additional 200 troops to Nigeria as part of expanded counterterrorism cooperation, according to a senior Nigerian military source.
Italy will not join U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace because of constitutional constraints, Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Wednesday, confirming Rome’s decision to stay out of the initiative.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited Türkiye on Wednesday as part of a large delegation for talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi became embroiled in a shouting match with Democratic lawmakers during a combative House Judiciary Committee hearing on 11 February 2026, after she refused to apologise to Jeffrey Epstein survivors seated in the room.
Russia will continue to adhere to the strategic missile and warhead ceilings set under the now-expired New START agreement, provided the United States does not exceed those thresholds, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told lawmakers on Wednesday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment