Germany Reaches Out to Syrian Opposition, Criticizes Russia’s Role
Exactly a month after the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Germany has initiated a dialogue with the rebel-formed transitional government. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock traveled to Damascus on Friday, accompanied by her French counterpart, Jean-Noël Barrot.
Baerbock stated that Germany aims to support a peaceful transfer of power, social reconciliation, and the rebuilding of the country, in addition to humanitarian aid. To make this possible, she outlined conditions for the de facto leadership in the Middle Eastern country, led by the head of the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Ahmed al-She, also known as Abu Muhammad al-Julani.
The minister also called on neighboring countries to respect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, without directly mentioning Israel. Her remarks on Russia, however, were particularly sharp.
“It is also time for Russia to leave its military bases in Syria. The Syrian people will not forget the massive bombings and human rights violations” Baerbock said, accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of covering up and supporting the alleged crimes of Assad.
The Russian Foreign Ministry responded swiftly, with a spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, taking to Telegram to counter the criticism. “And what does the foreign minister of a country say, where US military bases are located? I have a question: Is it not time for the German Foreign Office to say something similar in the direction of Washington?” she wrote.
In late November, several armed militias in Syria launched an offensive against government forces, quickly capturing key cities like Aleppo and pushing towards the capital, Damascus. By December 8, opposition representatives announced they had taken control of the country. President Assad, meanwhile, fled to Moscow.