Reaction to Syrian rebels’ widening advance against President Bashar al-Assad

Anti-government forces drive in city of al-Rastan in Syria’s west-central province of Homs, on their way to the city of Homs on December 7, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Syrian rebels entered suburbs of the city of Homs on Saturday (December 7, 2024), sources said, pressing a lightning week-long advance as front lines collapse across the country and government forces battle to save President Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year rule.

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Following are reactions.

U.S. PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP

“Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!,” Trump said in a post on his social media platform Truth Social.

RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEI LAVROV

“It’s inadmissible to allow the terrorist group to take control of the lands in violation of agreements.”

TURKISH PRESIDENT TAYYIP ERDOGAN

“There is now a new reality in Syria, politically and diplomatically. And Syria belongs to Syrians with all its ethnic, sectarian and religious elements.”

“The people of Syria are the ones who will decide the future of their own country.”

“As Turkey, our wish is for our neighbour Syria to quickly regain the peace, stability and tranquillity it has been longing for 13 years.”

SYRIAN PRIME MINISTER MOHAMMAD GHAZI AL-JALALI

“The true battle our country is fighting is the battle for … national identity. The geographical battle is a secondary one, which our heroic army and armed forces have been fighting since 2011 and continues to this day.”

TOBIAS LINDNER, A MINISTER OF STATE AT THE GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTRY

“We urge all parties to de-escalate and to remind them of their obligation to protect civilians. There must be no foreign escalation. Russian airstrikes on civilian targets are particularly worrying. What we need now is a political process, a solution in the U.N. framework of resolution 2254.”

HAMISH FALCONER, BRITAIN’S MINISTER FOR THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

“I remain very concerned by the potential for large full-scale attacks by the regime or by Russia. Any suggestion of the use of chemical weapons would be intolerable.

NORWEGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ESPEN BARTH EIDE

“I think there is time for really to call for dialogue, for a political settlement and to try to stop this before it really goes totally down the drain.” (Compiled by Barbara Lewis, Editing by William Maclean)