UPDATE ON THE SITUATION – The gathering is unprecedented in the capital. The gathered men, women and children wave the flag representing the 2011 pro-democracy uprising.
This Friday, thousands of Syrians converge on the Umayyad mosque in Damascus to celebrate the rebel victory. Meanwhile, Israel asked the army to “prepare to stay”. Le Figaro takes stock of the situation.
Thousands of Syrians converge on the Umayyad mosque in Damascus
Thousands of Syrians converge on the famous Umayyad mosque in Damascus where Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, the leader of the armed coalition dominated by Islamists who took power, is expected, AFP journalists noted.
Men, women and children flocked by the thousands to the courtyard of the mosque, an unprecedented gathering in the Syrian capital. Many of them wave the three-star flag, symbol of the 2011 pro-democracy uprising, now adopted by the new authorities.
Israel asks army to 'prepare to stay' in Syria buffer zone all winter
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the army to “prepare to stay” all winter in the buffer zone between Israel and Syria on the summit of the Golan Heights, part of which Israel conquered during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.
“Because of what is happening in Syria it is of paramount security importance to maintain our presence at the summit of Mount Hermon, and we must do everything to guarantee the preparation of (the army) on site, in order to allow the fighters to stay in this place despite the conditions difficult climates” during the winter, the minister said in a press release.
EU announces humanitarian airlift to Syria, via Turkey
The EU announced the launch of a humanitarian airlift to Syria, via Turkey, the first European aid of this type since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad.
“The European Union-funded aid flights will transport a total of 50 tonnes of medical supplies from EU stocks in Dubai, which will be transported to Adana, Turkey, for distribution across the border in the coming days »explained the Commission in a press release.
Bahrain's king says ready to cooperate with new authorities in letter to Joulani
The king of Bahrain, who chairs the current session of the Arab summit, said he was ready to cooperate with the new authorities in Syria in a letter addressed to Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, published Friday by the official news agency.
In this letter addressed to Ahmed al-Chareh, the real name of the leader of the new coalition in power in Damascus, King Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa affirmed that his country was ready “to continue consultations and coordination with Syria”according to the BNA agency.
Turkey will not allow « never weakness in the fight against ISIS»
The head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken began his meeting on Friday morning with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan after having received assurances Thursday evening from the Turkish president that Ankara will never allow weakness in the fight against the State Islam after the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria. Blinken began his meeting with Hakan Fidan at 9:40 a.m. (06:40 GMT) on Friday, a US official said. He arrived in the Turkish capital on Thursday evening and met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in an Ankara airport lounge.
Turkey will not allow “never weakness in the fight against the Islamic State”the Turkish head of state told Blinken late Thursday evening during their meeting. “As the only country in theI'LL TAKE having fought hand to hand against Daesh, Turkey will prevent the efforts of PKK and its extensions aimed at transforming the situation on the ground into an opportunity and will never allow weakness in the fight against ISIS”he said, according to a press release from the Turkish presidency. “Turkey will take preventive measures primarily for its own national security against all terrorist organizations (…) which operate in Syria and constitute a source of threat to Turkey”he added.
For Antony Blinken, it is imperative to work against ISIS in Syria
The head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken affirmed Friday that he is “imperative” to work against ISIS in Syria “Our country has worked very hard … to ensure the elimination of the territorial caliphate of ISIS, to ensure that this threat does not return again. And it is imperative that we continue these efforts”he declared in Ankara.
China expresses 'deep concern' for Syria
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday expressed his “deep concern” for the situation in Syria alongside his Egyptian counterpart, visiting Beijing. China has strengthened its ties with Bashar al-Assad in recent years, with the former Syrian leader even traveling to China last year for one of his rare visits outside the Middle East.
The Syrian president met with President Xi Jinping and established a “strategic partnership” with China. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi held a joint press conference at the Diaoyutai diplomatic complex in Beijing on Friday, concluding a two-day visit to China for a “strategic dialogue”. “Both sides are deeply concerned about the current situation in Syria and call for respect for Syrian sovereignty”the Chinese minister told journalists, calling for preventing “terrorist and extremist forces taking advantage of the chaos”.
“The fundamental solution lies in a political settlement through dialogue and negotiation”affirmed Wang Yi alongside his Egyptian counterpart. Wang Yi also mentioned the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip – Beijing has supported the creation of a Palestinian state for over thirty years.
