Berlin, Germany – German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has called on the conflicting parties in Syria to protect religious and ethnic minorities following the end of President Bashar al-Assad’s rule.
“The country must not now fall into the hands of other radicals – no matter in what guise,” the Green politician said on Sunday.
This includes comprehensive protection for Kurds, Alawites, Christians and other minorities, Baerbock said. A political process “that creates a balance between the groups” is necessary, she added.
The al-Assad family, which has dictated the affairs of the Arab country since the 1970s, belongs to the Alawite minority.
The international community is now also required to help Syria escape the cycle of war and violence, Baerbock said.
The German government is in intensive coordination with the United Nations, its EU partners, as well as regional actors and neighbouring states of Syria, she said.
“The end of Assad means for millions of people in Syria a first major relief after an eternity of atrocities by the Assad regime,” she said.
Several hundred thousand Syrians have been killed since 2011, and millions have been displaced. Al-Assad has murdered, tortured and used chemical weapons against his own population, Baerbock asserted.
Fighters from the Islamist militia Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) have reported the capture of the Syrian capital, Damascus. Previously, various rebel groups had taken control in other provinces. In many places, government forces withdrew without a fight.