During an event in the Russian capital, Moscow, al-Shibani stated: “The continuous Israeli intervention complicates the situation in Sweida, and the state is responsible for the minorities, not any external party.” He added, “Israeli attacks exacerbate the suffering of civilians and disrupt the reconstruction process. Syria cannot proceed with building and stability amid Israeli assaults.” The Syrian Foreign Minister emphasized the representation of all Syrian people in the parliament, stating that “the Syrian state is responsible for everyone, and any manipulation of this issue will lead to chaos again.” Earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova confirmed that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov would hold talks with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani in Moscow today, Thursday. Zakharova told Sputnik: “On July 31, Sergey Lavrov and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic, Asaad al-Shibani, will meet.” On December 8, 2024, the Syrian armed opposition took control of the official Syrian TV building in the capital Damascus, announcing their control over the country and the departure of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. A source in the Kremlin stated that Assad and his family had arrived in Moscow, where they were granted asylum for humanitarian reasons.
