Syrian president, Lebanon's grand mufti hold ‘frank' talks in Damascus
Derian's visit was the first by a Lebanese Sunni religious leader to Syria in more than 20 years, signaling a thaw in relations between the two nations that had been strained since the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and the start of the Syrian war in 2011.
Described as 'frank,' the meeting addressed past estrangements and shared aspirations for renewal.
Derian, accompanied by a delegation of religious leaders, including Sheikh Mohammed Assaf, head of the Sunni Shariah courts, emphasized the importance of reconciliation and cooperation.
'After a long absence we come to reform the present and build a prosperous future,' he said, acknowledging the suffering of millions of Syrians and praising their resilience in the face of extremism and displacement.
He lauded the Syrian Arab Republic's path toward free elections under Al-Sharaa — the first for more than 60 years — and expressed hope for its revival as a pillar of the Arab world and ability to overcome challenges like the recent Damascus church bombing, which he cited as evidence of ongoing conspiracies.
'Syrians will not be defeated by terrorism,' he said, praising Al-Sharaa's navigation of a 'difficult and arduous' road.
Derian underscored a renewed Lebanese-Syrian partnership founded on mutual support and Arab unity, and highlighted the promise of Lebanon's own trajectory under a new government committed to the Taif Agreement.
'The hopes of the Lebanese are pinned on what was contained in the ministerial statement and the presidential oath, which are the beginning of the road to rebuilding a strong and just state, striving to serve all the Lebanese,' he said.
'Lebanon's rise can only be achieved through the efforts of its best and loyal sons, both residents and expatriates, and the support of his Arab brothers and friends.'
He said there could be no salvation for Lebanon except through 'sincere and constructive cooperation' with other Arab nations, which he described as the 'guarantee of Lebanon's security, stability, sovereignty, national unity and civilized Arabism which believes in the commitment to the Taif Agreement document … sponsored by Saudi Arabia.'
As a symbol of the strong ties between Lebanon and Syria, Derian presented Al-Sharaa with the Dar Al-Fatwa Gold Medal.
'We will stand with you in every calamity and joy,' he said.
The visit, coordinated with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, began with prayers at the Umayyad Mosque and a stop at Mount Qasioun.
In a separate meeting with Syrian Minister of Endowments Mohammed Abu Al-Khair, Derian emphasized Dar Al-Fatwa's role in promoting moderate Islam, citizenship and coexistence amid regional challenges.
A Lebanese political observer framed the visit as a pivotal shift, not just religious but political, signaling Lebanese Sunnis' readiness to forge a 'new and normal' relationship with Syria's emerging leadership.
The visit underscores Lebanon's reaffirmation of its Arab identity and commitment to moderation, moving beyond decades of tension marked by assassinations and conflict.
Hezbollah, through its activists on social media, reacted cautiously to Derian's visit to Damascus and his meeting with Al-Sharaa, with some accusing him of 'stabbing the party in the back.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
42 minutes ago
- Al Arabiya
Six Syrian security forces killed in clashes in Druze city of Sweida
Six members of Syria's security forces have been killed in the predominantly Druze city of Sweida, a security source told Reuters, after they deployed to halt deadly sectarian clashes that local media reported had resumed on Monday. Sunday's fighting between Druze militiamen and Bedouin tribal fighters was the first time that sectarian violence erupted inside the city of Sweida itself, following months of tensions in the broader province. The fighting left 30 people dead and prompted Syria's security forces to deploy units to the city to restore calm and guarantee safe passage for civilians looking to leave, the defense ministry said in a statement. But intense clashes broke out again on Monday, local news outlet Sweida24 reported. At least six Syrian troops were subsequently killed, a defense ministry source told Reuters. It marked the latest episode of sectarian bloodshed in Syria, where fears among minority groups have surged since extremist-led forces toppled President Bashar al-Assad in December, installing their own government and security forces. Sunni Muslim Arab opposition groups which fought Assad during the war agreed in December to dissolve into the defense ministry but efforts to integrate armed factions from minority groups - including Druze and Kurds - have largely stalled. In southern Syria, efforts have been further complicated by Israel's stated policy that it would not allow Syria's new army to deploy south of Damascus and that Sweida and neighboring provinces should make up a demilitarized zone. Interior Minister Anas Khattab said in a written statement carried on state media that the 'absence of state institutions, especially military and security institutions, is a major cause of the ongoing tensions in Sweida and its countryside.' Sunday's violence erupted after a wave of kidnappings, including the abduction of a Druze merchant on Friday on the highway linking Damascus to Sweida, witnesses said.
Arab News
44 minutes ago
- Arab News
Six Syrian security personnel killed after deploying to quell sectarian clashes, source says
DAMASCUS: Six members of Syria's security forces have been killed in the predominantly Druze city of Sweida, a security source told Reuters, after they deployed to halt deadly sectarian clashes that local media reported had resumed on fighting between Druze militiamen and Bedouin tribal fighters was the first time that sectarian violence erupted inside the city of Sweida itself, following months of tensions in the broader fighting left 30 people dead and prompted Syria's security forces to deploy units to the city to restore calm and guarantee safe passage for civilians looking to leave, the defense ministry said in a intense clashes broke out again on Monday, local news outlet Sweida24 reported. At least six Syrian troops were subsequently killed, a defense ministry source told marked the latest episode of sectarian bloodshed in Syria, where fears among minority groups have surged since Islamist-led rebels toppled President Bashar Assad in December, installing their own government and security Muslim Arab rebel groups which fought Assad during the war agreed in December to dissolve into the defense ministry but efforts to integrate armed factions from minority groups — including Druze and Kurds — have largely southern Syria, efforts have been further complicated by Israel's stated policy that it would not allow Syria's new army to deploy south of Damascus and that Sweida and neighboring provinces should make up a demilitarized Minister Anas Khattab said in a written statement carried on state media that the 'absence of state institutions, especially military and security institutions, is a major cause of the ongoing tensions in Sweida and its countryside.'Sunday's violence erupted after a wave of kidnappings, including the abduction of a Druze merchant on Friday on the highway linking Damascus to Sweida, witnesses said.
Al Arabiya
6 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
More than 30 killed, 100 injured in clashes in Syria's Sweida
More than 30 people were killed and 100 injured in armed clashes in Syria's predominantly Druze city of Sweida, the Syrian interior ministry said early on Monday, in the latest bout of sectarian clashes. The violence erupted after a wave of kidnappings, including the abduction of a Druze merchant on Friday on the highway linking Damascus to Sweida, witnesses said. This is the first time sectarian fighting has erupted inside the city of Sweida itself, the provincial capital of the mostly Druze province. Last April saw clashes between Sunni fighters and armed Druze residents of Jaramana, southeast of Damascus, which later spread to another district near the provincial capital. 'This cycle of violence has exploded in a terrifying way and if it doesn't end we are heading toward to a bloodbath,' said Rayan Marouf, a Druze researcher based in Sweida who runs the Suwayda24 website. The clashes involving Bedouin tribal fighters and Druze militias were centered in Maqwas neighborhood east of Sweida, which is inhabited by Bedouin tribes, and was encircled by armed Druze groups and later seized. The Syrian ministry of interior said that its forces will begin direct intervention in Sweida to resolve the conflict, calling on local parties in the Druze city to cooperate with the security forces. Armed Bedouin tribesmen also launched attacks on Druze villages on the western and north outskirts of the city, residents said. A medical source told Reuters that at least 15 bodies had been taken to the morgue at Sweida's state hospital. Around 50 people were injured, with some transported to Deraa city for medical care. The violence marked the latest episode of sectarian bloodshed in Syria, where fears among minority groups have surged since extremist-led forces toppled President Bashar al-Assad in December, installing their own government and security forces. Those concerns intensified following the killing of hundreds of Alawites in March, in apparent retaliation for an earlier attack carried out by Assad loyalists. It was the deadliest sectarian flare-up in years in Syria, where a 14-year civil war ended last December with Assad fleeing to Russia after his government was overthrown by opposition forces.
