The commander of the Military Operations Department in Syria, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, “Abu Muhammad Al-Julani,” said, “Israel must end its air strikes in Syria and withdraw from the lands it recently occupied.”
Al-Julani added in an interview with the British newspaper The Times: “Israel’s justification for attacking Syria was the presence of Hezbollah and Iran, and this justification has ended now.”
He stressed that “Israel, which seized a buffer zone after the fall of Assad last week and advanced as far as Mount Hermon, must withdraw.”
Al-Sharaa continued: “We are committed to the 1974 agreement and are ready to return the United Nations observers.”
He explained: “We do not want any conflict, whether with Israel or with any other party, and we will not allow Syria to be used as a platform for attacks. The Syrian people need a period of rest. The strikes must stop and Israel must withdraw to its previous positions.”
Al-Julani stressed that he would not “allow the country to be used as a launching pad for attacks against Israel or any other country.”
On the other hand, Al-Julani called on the West to lift the sanctions imposed on Syria during the Assad regime’s rule. He also called for lifting sanctions on Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, which the United States, Britain, and other countries consider a terrorist organization.
He said: “The countries must now lift this classification. Syria is very important geopolitically. They must lift all restrictions imposed on the executioner and the victim. The executioner has gone now. This issue is non-negotiable.”
Al-Julani said, “His priority is to stabilize and rebuild the country before any elections, which he described as “out of reach now.”
He added: “Half of the population is outside the country and many of them do not have identification papers,” and said: “We need to bring people back from neighboring countries, Turkey and Europe.”
He also indicated that “committees will be formed to plan the transition period and develop a constitution in a “long process.”
“Instructions” to the factions regarding dealing with Russian forces in Syria
The armed factions led by “Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham” received instructions to “stay away” from the Russian forces operating in the port of Tartus on the Syrian coast, according to what a fighter told Agence France-Presse.
A fighter from the coalition of factions that leads the current authority in Syria said, without revealing his identity: “We received instructions to stay away from them for the time being.”
Prime Minister of the Syrian Interim Government: We are working to restore relations with neighboring countries and the world to their normal place
The head of the Syrian Interim Government, Muhammad al-Bashir, stressed that “the government’s priority is to maintain services and establish security and stability in the country.”
Al-Bashir said, in televised statements, that “the government took over state institutions through a smooth transition from the ministries of the previous regime’s government,” adding that “the primary goal was not to cause chaos and to maintain services, and we succeeded in that.”
He stressed that “the government faces great challenges, including administrative and financial corruption, dilapidated infrastructure, and debts,” stressing the need to lift sanctions and release frozen funds.
Al-Bashir added, “The Syrian people feel let down by the international community, and the time has come to support this oppressed people,” continuing: “The international community must hold accountable the perpetrators of crimes in Syria over the past years.”
The head of the Syrian interim government confirmed that “Syria’s coffers are empty and the country’s financial reserve is small and negligible,” adding: “We aim to achieve security and stability, protect people’s money and property, and provide the minimum services.”
Al-Bashir called on the displaced “to return to their country, reinvest and participate in building a new Syria,” explaining that “the government’s message to everyone is that Syria is moving towards a united, just Syria that is keen on the unity of its lands.”
Al-Bashir stressed that “the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will work to restore relations with neighboring countries and countries of the world to their normal place, and we seek to have a unified Syria and everyone is a partner with us in building the Syria of the future.”
The head of the transitional government in Syria, Muhammad al-Bashir, said, “The Syrian Ministry of Defense will be restructured by including opposition factions and officers who defected from the ousted regime,” stressing that “all components of the Syrian people whose hands are not stained with blood are welcome to work in the institutions and build the new Syria.”
He added, “The Syrian pound is suffering from a severe deterioration in its value, and foreign currency reserves are very low,” noting that “there are no accurate numbers yet regarding the money stolen by Bashar al-Assad and the corruption system.”
Last updated: December 17, 2024 – 14:34
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