United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the UN will submit a detailed report to the Security Council documenting what he described as Israeli violations in Syria. At the same time, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa says he is working towards a security agreement with Israel.
Speaking at a news conference in Damascus on Sunday, Guterres said violations of Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity were "unacceptable" and urged Israel to comply with the 1974 Disengagement Agreement. The agreement between Israel and Syria established a ceasefire, separated forces and created a UN-monitored buffer zone in the Golan Heights.
Relations between the two countries have remained strained since the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's government in December 2024, when rebel forces led by al-Sharaa took control of Damascus.
In the aftermath, Israeli forces expanded their presence in parts of southern Syria, moving into the demilitarised buffer zone and taking control of strategic positions, including the Syrian side of Mount Hermon overlooking the capital.
Israel has since carried out repeated air strikes and military operations in Syria, saying it is acting to protect its security interests and the Druze minority.
On Sunday, Syria's state news agency SANA reported that Israeli shelling struck the village of Maariyah, destroying an electricity transformer and cutting power to nearby homes.
Guterres arrived in Damascus on Saturday for a three-day visit and met President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, reaffirming the UN's support for Syria's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity while calling on the international community to back the country's recovery.
Guterres said the suffering endured by Syrians had not broken their determination to pursue their aspirations. He also warned that UN humanitarian assistance is currently meeting only around 20% of Syria's needs, underscoring the scale of the country's humanitarian crisis.
The UN chief said a visit to the notorious Sednaya Prison had revealed the horrors suffered by detainees, where tens of thousands of people were reportedly killed and tortured.
He said Syria's transitional justice process was underway and stressed the need to ensure accountability for crimes committed during the conflict. Guterres also welcomed recent steps to ease sanctions but said all remaining restrictions should be lifted immediately to support the country's recovery.
He called for Syria to be reintegrated into the regional and global economies, with international partners helping restore infrastructure, public services, education and healthcare.
In a separate interview with Al Jazeera, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said Damascus was working towards a security agreement with Israel through international mediation, expressing hope it could pave the way for wider peace while preserving Syria's claim to the occupied Golan Heights.
Al-Sharaa said Syria was seeking to avoid confrontation with Israel and had no intention of intervening militarily in Lebanon. He added that Hezbollah recognised the changing regional landscape and said any discussion over the group's weapons should take place through dialogue under the authority of the Lebanese state.
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Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 11 November. Today, we cover Russia-Ukraine peace talks, political tensions in Washington, strikes in Spain, espionage allegations involving Nvidia's CEO, and climate negotiations at COP31 in Türkiye.
Four million workers across Spain joined a general strike on Wednesday over the country’s deepening housing crisis, unions said, bringing disruption to factories, ports, shops and public transport just weeks before a snap general election.
European leaders gathered in Dublin on Thursday, 12 November, for the ninth European Political Community (EPC) summit, with security, defence, energy cooperation and economic resilience topping the agenda. Azerbaijan’s role in regional peace and connectivity was also in focus.
Iran has unveiled a new underground missile and drone base, warning that it will respond forcefully to any attack, as tensions persist with the U.S. and oil tankers continue to be struck by naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
European leaders gathered in Dublin on Thursday, 12 November, for the ninth European Political Community (EPC) summit, with security, defence, energy cooperation and economic resilience topping the agenda. Azerbaijan’s role in regional peace and connectivity was also in focus.
Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang is stepping down amid reports linking him to a woman suspected by U.S. authorities of spying for China, throwing the future of the $4 trillion chipmaker into uncertainty.
Tajikistan is urging regional allies to step up support for its border with Afghanistan following a series of deadly armed incidents. Despite building more than 80 new border outposts, Dushanbe says it needs further assistance to secure its southern frontier.
Eight people have been killed and at least 17 injured after an apartment building collapsed into a neighbouring construction site in Brooklyn, New York, as rescuers continued searching the rubble for possible survivors.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for facilitating talks between Russia and Ukraine, but warned that any foreign troops deployed in Ukraine would be considered legitimate targets by Moscow.
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