Syria updates: Rebel groups to be disbanded, HTS leader says

Several European countries said they were prepared to work with the interim government in Syria that is led by Islamist HTS rebels.

French special envoy for Syria Jean-Francois Guillaume visited Damascus on Tuesday to "make contact with the de facto authorities."

"France is preparing to be with Syrians for the long term" including the current transitional period, "which we hope will be peaceful", Guillaume told journalists.

Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Italy was also prepared to engage with the new leadership, albeit with caveats.

"The first signs seem encouraging but maximum caution is needed. Words must be followed by actions and we will judge the new Syrian authorities on their actions," Meloni said.

"The decisive element will be the attitude towards ethnic and religious minorities. I am thinking in particular about Christians, who have already paid a very high price and have too often been the object of persecution."

The UN humanitarian chief said on Tuesday that he was "encouraged" by a meeting he had with HTS rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani in Damascus a day earlier.

"Moment of cautious hope in Syria," Tom Fletcher said on social media.

Earlier, on Monday, he said seven out of 10 Syrians were in need of aid.

German diplomats will hold their first talks with representatives of Islamist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Damascus on Tuesday, the German Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The talks will focus on the transitional process for Syria and the protection of minorities.

"As far as one can tell, they have acted prudently so far," a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry said.

"Syria must not become a play-thing of foreign powers, nor a testing ground for radical forces," the spokesperson added.

HTS and the interim government they appointed are being looked at. The potential establishment of a mission on the ground is also on the agenda.

"The possibilities of a diplomatic presence in Damascus are also being explored there," the spokesperson said.

Iran's foreign ministry said on Tuesday that its embassy in Syria would reopen once the "necessary conditions" are met.

The country’s diplomatic mission in Damascus was vandalized following the ouster of Tehran ally Bashar Assad. 

A Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the reopening of the embassy "requires preparations," including ensuring the safety of embassy staff

Work to that end will be pursued "as soon as the necessary conditions are provided," he added, without providing a specific timeline.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to visit Ankara, Turkey, on Tuesday to discuss recent developments in Syria with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The talks will focus on national unity in the country and the protection of minorities. 

The European Union last week announced plans to send almost 100 tons of health supplies and other essential items to Turkey for onward distribution to Syria by United Nations aid agencies.

EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas announced on Monday that an envoy was on their way to Damascus to make contact with the new Syrian leadership.

The Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which was the main group behind the offensive that led to Bashar Assad's overthrow, is on the UN terror list and subject to EU sanctions.

The leader of the group that led the ouster of Bashar Assad has pledged that Syria’s rebel factions will be "disbanded."

In a meeting with members of the Druze community, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, leader of Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Shams (HTS), said the various groups joining hands to end Assad's 24-year tenure will "be disbanded and the fighters trained to join the ranks of the Defence Ministry."

"All will be subject to the law," he added, according to posts on the group's Telegram channel late on Monday.

Al-Golani, now using his real name Ahmed al-Sharaa, has looked to reassure minorities at home and governments abroad that the country’s interim leaders will protect both the country’s entire population, as well as its state institutions.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that he welcomed the Syrian caretaker government's commitment to protect civilians, including humanitarian workers.

"I also welcome their agreement to grant full humanitarian access through all border crossings; cut through bureaucracy over permits and visas for humanitarian workers; ensure the continuity of essential government services, including health and education; and engage in genuine and practical dialogue with the wider humanitarian community," Guterres said.

He called for the international community to rally behind the Syrian people as they "seize the opportunity to build a better future."

This comes following a meeting between UN aid chief Tom Fletcher and Syria’s new administration, meant to discuss scaling up humanitarian assistance in the country.

US-led efforts to secure a truce in the Kurdish area of northern Syria have failed, a Kurdish militia said.

The Kurdish-led, US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said this was due to Turkey's refusal to accept key points in the negotiations. 

"Despite US efforts to stop the war, Turkey and its mercenary militias have continued to escalate their war on Kurdish areas over the last period," the group said, also blaming Turkey for not taking the negotiations seriously.

Although the United States and Turkey are both members of NATO, the two are on opposite sides of this conflict, via their proxies.

While the SDF is an important partner for the United States in the fight against the so-called "Islamic State" group in Syria, Turkey sees the militia as an offshoot of the banned Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK), which it classifies as a terrorist organization.

ftm/zc (Reuters, AFP, AP, dpa)