Morocco, Syria to Reopen Embassies after 13-Year Closure
Morocco said that it would reopen its embassy in Damascus to support the Syrian state after the fall of longtime ruler Bashar Al-Assad, according to AFP.
The announcement was made by the Moroccan Foreign Minister at the Arab League summit in Baghdad after receiving a letter from King Mohammed VI to Syria's interim President Ahmed Al-Sharaa.
Morocco backed the Syrian people 'in their quest for freedom, security, and stability,' according to the letter.
The Foreign Ministry stated that Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani held a meeting with his Moroccan Counterpart Nasser Bourita on the sidelines of the Arab summit and that 'the two sides agreed to establish bilateral diplomatic relations.'
Moreover, Syria will also 'begin procedures to reopen its embassy in Rabat.'
In 2012, Rabat cut diplomatic ties with Damascus in the light of the Syrian civil war which began in 2011.
Since the fall of Al-Assad in December, the new Syrian government has been attempting to build strong relations with Western countries in order to alleviate the harsh sanctions of US and its allies imposed during Asaad's rule.
Importantly, the US and the UK have recently lifted sanctions on Syria, allowing the new government to build its economy and achieve the aspirations of Syrians.
Currently, the new government seeks to restore relations with Western and Arab countries as well as establishing new diplomatic relations to boost its stability and security.
Related Topics:
Crown Prince, U.S. President, Syrian President Discuss Syria's Future
Qatar to Support Syria, Pay Syrian Salaries
Saudi Arabia Condemns Israeli Strike Near Syrian Presidential Palace
Short link :
Post Views: 17
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leaders
6 hours ago
- Leaders
Israeli Military Strikes Syria in Response to Fired Projectiles
The Israeli military said it launched strikes on targets in Syria on Tuesday, responding to projectile launched from Syrian territory, with Defense Minister Israel Katz explicitly holding Syria's leader directly responsible for these provocative actions. However, Syria's foreign affairs ministry vehemently denied any involvement in the projectile launches, asserting that Syria has never posed and will never pose a threat to regional stability. Israeli media reported that these strikes marked the first instance of projectiles fired from Syria into Israeli territory since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December, with no reports of casualties or damage on the Israeli side. The projectiles triggered air raid sirens in parts of the southern Golan Heights, a region Israel captured from Syria in 1967 and annexed in 1981. Statements from Key Figures Israeli defence minister, Israel Katz, issued a statement through his office, emphasizing that they view the Syrian president as directly responsible for any threats or attacks directed at Israel. Syria's interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led the Islamist group that overthrew Assad, now faces the consequences of these actions. The Israeli military confirmed that two projectiles crossed from Syria into Israeli territory, landing in open areas. In response, Israeli artillery struck targets in southern Syria. Syria's official news agency, SANA, reported shelling targeting the Yarmuk Basin in the west of Daraa province. The Britain-based war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, noted that the bombardments hit farmland without reporting any casualties. Regional Impact and International Reactions Violent explosions shook southern Syria, particularly the town of Quneitra and the Daraa region, following Israeli aerial strikes overnight. Syria condemned the Israeli shelling as a blatant violation of its sovereignty, which further aggravates regional tensions. The foreign ministry reiterated that Syria has never been a threat to anyone in the region. The ministry denied responsibility for the strikes but acknowledged that numerous parties are attempting to destabilize the region for their own interests. They emphasized the priority of extending state authority in southern Syria and ending the presence of unauthorized weapons. Following Assad's overthrow, Israel moved its forces into the UN-patrolled demilitarized zone in the Golan Heights and has conducted hundreds of strikes against military targets in Syria. Ongoing Military Operations Israel asserts that these strikes aim to prevent advanced weapons from reaching Syria's new authorities, whom they consider jihadists. The Israeli military stated that its troops continue defensive operations in southern Syria to dismantle terrorist infrastructure and protect residents of the Golan Heights. Syria and Israel have technically been at war since 1948. US President Donald Trump announced the lifting of sanctions on Syria last month and expressed hope for normalized relations with Israel. However, experts believe that this prospect remains far from reality since the situation continues to evolve, with both nations on high alert and international observers closely monitoring the developments. The recent exchange of fire between Israel and Syria underscores the volatile nature of their relationship. As both countries navigate this complex geopolitical landscape, the international community watches with bated breath, hoping for a de-escalation of tensions and a path towards lasting peace in the region. Short link : Post Views: 41
Saudi Gazette
a day ago
- Saudi Gazette
Dutch government collapses as Wilders' far-right party leaves coalition
THE HAGUE — The far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) is leaving the Netherlands' government over its policy for asylum-seekers, its leader Geert Wilders said on Tuesday, toppling the governing coalition. 'I signed up for the strictest asylum policy, not for the downfall of the Netherlands,' Wilders told reporters Tuesday morning. 'And our responsibility for this cabinet therefore ends here.' Wilders' decision to withdraw support for the most right-leaning government in Dutch history has plunged the country's politics into chaos. It leaves the government, led by Prime Minister Dick Schoof, with just 51 out of 150 seats in parliament. Opposition leaders have called for immediate elections. Schoof, who has clashed with Wilders over policy, has not yet commented. Polls suggest that, were elections to be held today, the PVV would lose seats but remain the largest party, just ahead of the center-right People's Party for Freedom and Democracy. But that's no guarantee that it would be able to enter a new government. Dutch politics features a constellation of parties, none of which has ever been able to command a majority of Dutch votes. Polls suggest that both center-right and center-left parties would gain from new PVV was the clear winner of a November 2023 election. But a coalition accord struck after months of haggling dictated that, while his party would join the government, he would remain on the sidelines, in has a long history of anti-Islam and anti-immigrant rhetoric, He was convicted of discrimination after insulting Moroccan immigrants at a 2014 campaign rally, and his party calls for 'no Islamic schools, Qu'ran, and mosques.'Wilders last week held a rare, formal press conference to present the government with an ultimatum for hardening the country's asylum policy – despite the fact that the minister for asylum and migration is a member of his own party.'The PVV promised voters the strictest asylum policy ever, aiming to make it the strictest in all of Europe,' Wilders said Tuesday. 'We proposed a plan to close the borders to asylum seekers, to stop them, to send them away. To stop building asylum-seeker centers, to close them.'But the coalition, he said, refused his proposals.'I could do nothing other than say that we are now withdrawing our support for this cabinet.' — CNN
Leaders
a day ago
- Leaders
Saudi FM, US State Secretary Discuss Latest Developments
The Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, on Monday received a phone call from the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, according to the Saudi Foreign Ministry. During the call, both officials reviewed the relations and strategic partnership between Saudi Arabia and the US. They also discussed the latest regional and international developments and topics of mutual interest. The discussions between the Saudi and US top diplomats focused on Ukraine and Russia talks, stabilization in Syria, and the situation in Gaza, the US State Department said in a statement. Moreover, Rubio expressed gratitude to Prince Faisal for Saudi Arabia's hospitality during the US President Donald Trump's visit to the Kingdom. Trump visited Saudi Arabia on May 13, 2025, in his first foreign trip during his second term as a president. This landmark visit underscored the depth of relations between the two countries, which date back to more than eighty years ago. It also reaffirmed the Kingdom's growing position as a strategic player in regional and international dynamics. The visit was marked by warm hospitality and saw the signing of multiple agreements that boost Saudi-US cooperation across various fields, including economy, defense and technology. Furthermore, Trump's first phone call to a foreign leader after assuming office was with the Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman. While in Saudi Arabia, the US President praised the leadership of the Saudi Crown Prince, describing him as an 'incredible man' that has turned Riyadh into a major business, cultural and high-tech capital of the entire world. Short link : Post Views: 85
