Foreign
GERMAN Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has said that Germany will continue to judge the Islamist rebels group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) by their actions.
Baerbock said this in the course of her surprise visit to Damascus on Friday, some four weeks after the overthrow of long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad.
De facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa heads the HTS and was previously known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Joulani.
“We know where the HTS ideologically comes from, what they have done in the past,” Baerbock stated.
But she said there is also a desire for moderation and understanding with other key players.
The initiation of talks with the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is a significant sign in this direction, she noted.
HTS emerged from the al-Nusra Front, an offshoot of the terrorist network al-Qaeda.
Al-Sharaa had disassociated from al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, considered terrorist organisations by many Western countries.
However, there are still reports suggesting that the HTS leadership maintains contact with al-Qaeda.
The German foreign minister and Green Party politician who landed on Friday morning at the airport in the capital Damascus in a German military A400M propeller transport aircraft, stated, “We will continue to judge the HTS by their actions.
“In spite of all scepticism, we must not miss the opportunity now to support the people in Syria at this crucial crossroads.”
Germany is also working to ensure that the intra-Syrian process is not disrupted from outside, the foreign minister explained.
This, she noted, includes respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity by all neighbouring states.
Though she did not mention Turkey and Israel by name, those countries have been accused of pursuing their own interests in Syria.
Additionally, it is time for Russia to leave its military bases in Syria, she said. Moscow has been one of al-Assad’s most important allies for years.
Syria has been largely destroyed after nearly 14 years of civil war and is contaminated with landmines and other ordnance.
The country lacks labour and skilled workers, the economy is contracting, and the currency has lost more than 90 per cent of its value since 2020. Public services have collapsed.
More than 16 million people rely on humanitarian aid.
In Baerbock’s discussions in Damascus, the potential return of Syrian refugees from Germany, as supported by the transitional Syrian government, is likely to be a topic.
Around 975,000 Syrians currently live in Germany, according to the German Interior Ministry.
Most arrived in the country since 2015 as a result of the civil war. (dpa/NAN)
3rd January, 2025.
C.E.
Tags: Annalena Baerbock
