Qatar will reopen its embassy in Syria on Tuesday after it was closed for more than 13 years, the Gulf country's foreign ministry said on Sunday, a week after Bashar al-Assad was removed from power.
Doha, Qatar © Mena Today
Qatar will reopen its embassy in Syria on Tuesday after it was closed for more than 13 years, the Gulf country's foreign ministry said on Sunday, a week after Bashar al-Assad was removed from power.
Qatar's embassy in Damascus has been shut since July 2011 when it withdrew its ambassador from Damascus after a series of deadly crackdowns by Assad's regime on protesters - violence that led to the 13-year-long civil war.
Doha in recent years did not join efforts by several Arab countries to mend relations with Assad's government and re-establish diplomatic relations with Damascus.
A lightning advance by rebels, lead by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group - a former al Qaeda affiliate - led to the ouster of Assad on Dec. 8.
Qatar's foreign ministry said in a statement its decision to reopen the embassy reflects its support for the Syrian people and their "struggle to attain their legitimate rights for a dignified life".
Reporting by Hatem Maher and Ahmed Tolba
The United Nations Security Council on Friday extended a long-running peacekeeping mission between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights for six months and expressed concern that military activities in the area could escalate tensions.
Two journalists working for Kurdish media outlets in Turkey were killed in northern Syria on Thursday after their vehicle was allegedly targeted by a Turkish drone, Turkish media and a pro-Kurdish party said.
In the wake of Damascus falling into the hands of rebel forces, declarations of support for the Syrian people and calls for a peaceful transition have flooded in from capitals across the world.
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