Russia has criticized Israel's attacks in Syria and denounced that they do not help stabilize the situation in the Arab country. The Kremlin has stated that it remains in contact with the new leaders of the country due to the presence of two military bases. "Ensuring the security of our facilities is extremely important and a top priority," highlighted the presidential spokesperson.
Meanwhile, Israel continues its destruction of Assad's army arsenal to prevent it from falling into the hands of uncontrollable groups, with new bombings against air defense positions, radars, and weapons and ammunition depots.
On the other hand, the Supreme Leader of Iran has blamed the United States, Israel, and Turkey for Bashar Assad's regime fall. However, Ali Jameneí stated that the events in Syria will not weaken his country and predicted that the Resistance Axis will expand even further in the Middle East.
Syrian rebels announced on Wednesday that they have taken "complete" control of the city of Deir al Zur in eastern Syria, the capital of the homonymous province, as they continue to advance in that area of the country.
Assad fled after Russia rejected creating a mini-state on the Syrian coast, according to an NGO
Bashar Assad fled Syria and sought political asylum in Moscow after Russia rejected his request to create a "mini-state" on the Syrian Mediterranean coast in the face of the insurgent coalition's advance that took Damascus last Sunday, reported an NGO on Wednesday, as reported by Efe.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated that according to "reliable sources," Russia, the main ally of the deposed Syrian leader, "rejected a request from Assad to establish a 'mini-state' on the Syrian coast, as it considered it a project to divide Syria."
The NGO, based in the UK with a wide network of collaborators on the ground in Syria, did not specify the city where Assad hoped to establish his alleged "mini-state," although it is believed to be Latakia and Tartus, where the Alawite community, to which the Assad family belongs, is the majority. Near these locations are also Russian air and naval bases.
Russia negotiates to ensure the security of its bases in Syria
Russia warned on Wednesday that Israeli attacks on Syrian territory do not help stabilize the situation in the Arab country. "Of course, it is unlikely that the (Israeli) attacks and actions in the Golan Heights and in the buffer zone will contribute to stabilizing the situation in an already destabilized Syria," said the Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, in his daily telephone press conference, as reported by Efe.
He added that Moscow would like to see a prompt stabilization in Syria so that "prospects are opened to bring the situation back to a legal course." Peskov emphasized that Russia is closely monitoring the events taking place in Syria.
"You know that we are certainly in contact with those who currently control the situation in Syria," he added. The spokesperson explained that this is necessary because there are two Russian military bases there, one naval and the other air, in addition to the diplomatic mission of this country. "And, of course, ensuring the security of our facilities is extremely important and a top priority," he pointed out.
Kurdish Syrians: "A government composed only of HTS will not be acceptable to us"
The Kurdish Syrians, who control northeastern Syria, state that a government composed only of Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS) rebels without their participation "will not be acceptable" to them, and demand a "complete halt" to the war in northern Syria.
In a telephone interview with EFE, the de facto Foreign Minister in the Autonomous Administration of northeastern Syria (Kurdish authority), Ilham Ahmed, called for Kurds to be part of the country's transition, which should be aimed, in her opinion, towards a federal state that respects all ethnic and religious communities. "The doors to dialogue with HTS remain open," she said.
The Kurdish leader explained that HTS has not informed them about the appointment of Mohamed Al Bashir as president of the so-called Salvation Government. "We heard in the news that HTS has formed a government. But we have heard that it is a government composed only of HTS, and we have no knowledge or participation in it, therefore, such a government will not be acceptable to us," she stated.
Russia warns that ISIS could resurge in Syria
The Russian Deputy Foreign Minister, Sergei Ryabkov, warned on Wednesday that there is a real risk that Islamic State (ISIS) militants could resurface in Syria, as reported by the state news agency RIA and cited by Reuters. ISIS is designated as a "terrorist group" by Russian authorities, who have banned it.
Qatar announces it will "soon" reopen its embassy in Syria
The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Wednesday that it will reopen its embassy in Damascus "soon" after the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar Assad and the establishment of a transitional government led by insurgents that will administer Syria for the next three months.
According to the Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Majed al Ansari, this measure is taken to strengthen the "historical fraternal relations" between both countries, while affirming that the reopening of the embassy reflects "Qatar's firm support for the brotherly Syrian people, who aspire to build their country based on justice, peace, stability, and prosperity."
The new Prime Minister urges refugees to "return" and promises to "guarantee the rights of all"
The new interim Prime Minister of Syria, Mohamed al Bashir, promised on Wednesday that the authorities established after Bashar Assad's regime fell due to the lightning offensive by jihadists and rebels will "guarantee the rights of all peoples" and called on the millions of Syrian refugees to return to the country.
Al Bashir, appointed to the position on Tuesday for an interim period that will end on March 1, 2025, stated in an interview with the Italian newspaper 'Corriere della Sera' that among the authorities' objectives is to "achieve the return of the millions of Syrian refugees scattered around the world."
"Their human capital and experience will help restart the country. My call is to all Syrians abroad: Syria is now a free country that has regained its pride and dignity. Come back. We need to rebuild, lift the country again, and we need everyone's help," he said.
Russia wants to see the situation in Syria stabilized "as soon as possible"
The Kremlin stated on Wednesday that it wants to see the situation stabilized in Syria "as soon as possible" after the fall of its ally Bashar Assad and condemned Israel's bombings and its deployment near the occupied Golan Heights.
"We would like to see the situation in the country stabilize as soon as possible, one way or another," declared the presidential spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, warning that "the bombings and actions [by Israel] in the Golan Heights" do not contribute to this goal.
He also added that Moscow was "in contact with those who control" Syria, especially regarding the two Russian bases in the territory.
Six extrajudicial executions reported in Syria since Assad's fall
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has documented six extrajudicial executions for sectarian reasons in Syria since the fall of Bashar Assad last Sunday, reported its director, Rami Abdulrahman, on Wednesday.
Abdulrahman told EFE that the SOHR has audio and video evidence of these incidents, which occurred in several Syrian cities. The executions, he explained, were carried out for sectarian revenge reasons.
He also denounced the presence of extremist groups that, for example yesterday, stormed villages with a majority Alawite population (the creed to which Assad belongs) in the west of the country, chanting sectarian slogans.