A French diplomatic team will arrive in Damascus one week after the Assad regime’s collapse.
France will send a diplomatic mission to Syria on Tuesday to assess the political and security landscape following President Bashar al-Assad’s government’s downfall, according to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot. The four diplomats’ objectives include securing French assets, engaging with the new authorities, and evaluating humanitarian needs, Barrot stated, as reported by Le Figaro.
Barrot highlighted that this will be France’s first diplomatic presence in Syria in twelve years. The diplomats will investigate whether the new authorities’ seemingly positive pronouncements—calling for calm and disavowing past violence—reflect the ground reality.
Syria’s civil war took a dramatic turn earlier this month when a coalition of opposition forces, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), forced Assad into exile in Russia. Mohammad al-Bashir, previously heading the HTS administration in Idlib, has been appointed interim prime minister.
While many Western nations welcomed Assad’s ouster, concerns remain regarding HTS and its historical links to al-Qaeda.
Barrot acknowledged France’s awareness of the new authorities’ background, including the involvement of Islamist groups, and emphasized France’s vigilant monitoring of the situation. He further stated that a transitional government representing all Syrian faiths and communities is necessary, paving the way for a new constitution and eventual elections.
France severed ties with the Assad government at the start of the Syrian conflict in 2012. Similar to the US and other European allies, France supported “moderate” opposition groups and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). In April 2018, France participated in airstrikes targeting Assad-controlled territory alongside the US and UK.