Israel said its forces would remain in Syrian territory until “a new force” filled the vacuum. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken was in Jordan for talks, and a top Turkish official appeared in Damascus.The New York Times reports that as countries in the Middle East and beyond grapple with how to respond to the sudden fall of the Assad government, Israel has announced that its military will remain in Syrian territory it seized until a new force is established that meets its security demands.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated, “The collapse of the Syrian regime has created a vacuum on Israel’s border and in the buffer zone. Israel will not allow jihadi groups to fill that vacuum and threaten our communities.” He added that Israeli soldiers will only be deployed in Syrian territory temporarily, but did not specify a timeline for their departure.
The Biden administration has been swift in its response to the situation in Syria, with Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken currently in Jordan and heading to Turkey to meet with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. After a meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah II, Blinken emphasized the importance of Syria’s new government respecting human rights and not becoming a base for terrorist groups like the Islamic State.
In other developments, the Syrian authorities have announced that a foreign man who was imprisoned under the Assad government has been found and handed over to the rebel group now in control of the capital. The man, who appears to identify himself as Travis Timmerman, an American who went missing from Budapest this year, has been interviewed by international news media.
The fall of the Assad regime has also reignited efforts for justice over the regime’s crimes, as human rights groups now have the opportunity to inspect prison sites, interview witnesses, and build legal cases. However, there is frustration as the ultimate goal of these efforts would be to see Assad stand trial, but he appears to be out of reach as he has taken exile in Russia.
Meanwhile, in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, which was recently seized by rebels before they took control of Damascus, residents who were forced into exile are now returning home to assess the damage after more than a decade of civil war. They are visiting old neighborhoods and homes, some of which no longer exist.
Satellite imagery and ship tracking data reviewed by The New York Times show that Russian naval and commercial activity in the key Syrian port of Tartus has ceased since the fall of the Assad government on Sunday. This port has played a crucial role in Russia’s military presence in the region.
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