European Commission: The EU is not holding talks with rebels in Syria

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The European Union is not currently holding talks with the rebels in Syria, who have liberated Damascus and overthrown the regime of Bashar al-Assad, European Commission spokesman Anouar El Anouni said on Monday. He recalled that the Islamist group HTS and its leader are subject to EU sanctions.

The rebels responsible for liberating Damascus and overthrowing Assad are led by the group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a former al-Qaeda affiliate. It is led by former al-Qaeda fighter Abu Muhammad al-Julani.

EU leaders expressed satisfaction on Sunday with the fall of the Syrian regime. EC President Ursula von der Leyen described it as a “historic change” that “creates new opportunities but is not without risks.”

EC spokesperson Paula Pinho said on Monday that the possibility of restoring democracy opens up for Syria, but the change also comes with many challenges. She emphasized that the EC will watch the situation develop, especially how HTS, an organization “considered terrorist,” will treat minorities and whether the transformation will be an inclusive process leading to the establishment of a democratic state.

Another EC spokesman, Anouar El Anouni, added that the EU is not in contact with HTS, which is subject to EU sanctions. However, he did not want to disclose the channels through which the EC maintains contact with Syria. He also said that it is too early to determine whether the EU will lift sanctions imposed on HTS. “If they take on greater responsibility, we will then evaluate not only their words but also actions,” he added.

El Anouni did not rule out that the overthrow of Assad’s regime may enable the return of Syrian refugees residing in the EU to their country in the future. “Syrians and the Syrian diaspora dream of returning. The decision about whether to return or not will belong to each refugee. At this moment, according to the assessment of UNHCR, we still believe that the conditions for a safe return are not met,” he said.

In a statement issued on Monday, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called on “all actors to avoid further violence, ensure protection for civilians and respect international law, including international humanitarian law.”

“In particular, we call for the protection of members of all minorities, including Christian denominations and other non-majority faiths, as well as to ensure the security of foreigners and the respect of diplomatic representations in Damascus. We also call on all parties to protect Syria’s rich cultural heritage and religious monuments,” Kallas stressed. (09.12.2024)

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