BAMRO

Syria crisis: Nothing must stop peaceful transition, says UN Special Envoy

Barely 48 hours since opposition forces including Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) swept into Damascus and forced out President Bashar al-Assad, the top UN negotiator tasked with helping the Syrian people to create a peaceful and democratic future insisted that nothing could be taken for granted.

“Syria is now at a crossroads with great opportunities for us, but also with grave risks. And we need really to look at both,” said Geir Pedersen, UN Special Envoy for Syria. “We know that, of course, HTS is now the dominant group in control of Damascus, but it's important also to remember that they are not the only armed group in Damascus.”

Amid images of jubilant scenes on the streets of the capital following the end of the Assad regime, Mr. Pedersen cautioned that the transfer of power had been accompanied by reports of robberies and the “invasion of public buildings or private homes. But this seems to have stopped and that is a good thing,” he told journalists in Geneva.

Peace chances dashed
Beyond Damascus, the situation remains less certain, a legacy of Syria’s 13-year war that has drawn in regional and international actors, stymying UN-led efforts towards peace.

“The conflict in the northeast is not over; there has been clashes between the Syrian National Army, the opposition groups and the [Syrian Democratic Forces]. We are calling obviously for calm also in this area,” the UN Special Envoy said.