https://arab.news/nc5xf
- Mission instructed to continue its job in New York as part of effort ‘to maintain state institutions’
- UN: Israel’s seizure of buffer zone inside Syria a violation of 1974 ceasefire deal
NEW YORK: Syria’s permanent representative to the UN on Monday said his mission has received instructions to continue doing its job in New York as part of an effort “to maintain state institutions.”
Koussay Aldahhak also called on the UN and the Security Council to put an end to Israeli attacks on his country.
“We’re with the Syrian people. We’ll keep defending and working for the Syrian people. So we’ll continue our work until further notice,” he said.
The collapse of the Assad regime followed a lightning offensive that lasted less than two weeks. On Sunday, insurgents swept into the capital Damascus to topple the regime and send President Bashar Assad fleeing. Russian news agencies report that he has been granted asylum in Moscow.
“Syrians are looking forward to establishing a state of freedom, equality, rule of law, democracy, and we’ll join efforts to rebuild our country, to rebuild what was destroyed, and to rebuild the future,” said Aldahhak, who took up his position as permanent representative of Assad’s government to the UN in December 2023.
Syria’s prime minister on Monday said most Cabinet ministers were still at work after militants overthrew Assad, but some state workers failed to return to their jobs.
Meanwhile, Israel has increased its strikes on Syria. On Monday, it said it carried out airstrikes on suspected chemical weapons sites and long-range rockets. Israel has also seized a buffer zone inside Syria after Syrian troops withdrew.
Aldahhak said his mission, “upon instruction from the Syrian government,” has called on the UN secretary-general and the Security Council “to shoulder their responsibility in maintaining international peace and security and (put) an end to the Israeli attacks on Syria,” and to not allow Israel “to benefit from this transition that the Syrians are doing now in their country for their occupation agenda, to compel Israel to respect international law, international Security Council resolutions and the GA (General Assembly) resolutions on ending the Israeli occupation of Syrian territories.”
He noted that Syria's UN mission follows the instructions from the current leaders, adding that while a new government is to be formed, “we continue to work with the current government and leadership.”
The UN has called Israel’s seizure of the buffer zone inside Syria a violation of a 1974 ceasefire deal between the two countries. Aldahhak called on Israel to withdraw.