Israel and Damascus.. Transitional Operation Command Ready to Receive International Forces
The new authority's stance in Syria reflects clear confusion in handling relations with Israel and the buffer zone
January 16, 2025, 8:19 pm

Israel and Damascus.. Transitional Operation Command Ready to Receive International Forces

سوريا

Official Syrian statements varied regarding the position on military presence in the buffer zone. While the Transitional Operation Commander demonstrated Syria's capability to receive UN forces, his Foreign Minister spoke about the necessity of respecting mutual sovereignty.

The Transitional Operation Commander stated to Reuters that Syria is ready to receive UN forces in shared areas, noting that advancement in the region was previously justified by the presence of Iranian militias and Lebanese Hezbollah.

Meanwhile, Syrian Interim Government's Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani declared from Ankara that Syria will not pose a threat to any country, including Israel, confirming the new administration's commitment to the 1974 Disengagement Forces Agreement.

Shaibani expressed surprise at the targeting of military facilities and vital sites after Damascus's transition on December 8th, emphasizing that these sites belong to the Syrian people and not to the former regime.

Shaibani confirmed sending repeated reassurance messages, pointing to the necessity of respecting sovereignty and non-intervention in Syrian territories after the removal of threats previously posed by Iranian-backed militias.

These statements coincided with the death of three people, including a civilian, following an Israeli airstrike that targeted, for the first time, a military convoy belonging to the Military Operations Administration in Ghadir Al-Bustan town in southern Quneitra countryside.

Israel had conducted a series of strikes on Syrian military facilities following the political change in Damascus, under the pretext of preventing them from falling into hostile hands, and announced the deployment of its forces in the demilitarized buffer zone in the Golan.

The military escalation coincides with a security campaign being carried out by the Military Operations Administration in the region, while Israel confirms the necessity of protecting its security interests in the area.

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