Will territorial union be a reality in the new Syria?

In a country devastated by 13 years of war, the interim foreign minister of Syria pledges to reunite fragmented lands and ensure refugees return to the homes they left behind

Syria’s acting Foreign Minister, Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, promised on Wednesday to restore the country’s full territorial unity and guarantee the return of refugees, a month after the dismissal of President Bashar al-Assad’s government.

“Our sense of happiness will remain incomplete until every inch of Syrian territory is reunified and the displaced and refugees are back in their homes,” al-Shibani said in a statement marking the first month of the change of power.

In another statement, the acting Foreign Ministry welcomed the United States government’s recent exemptions and waivers from economic sanctions on Syria.

The ministry attributed the progress to “intensive sessions” and praised the “extraordinary work of Syria’s remarkable teams.”

“These sanctions target the Syrian people, but now that the original reason for them has disappeared, their complete lifting is essential for Syria’s recovery, stability and prosperity,” the ministry said.

The statements follow a series of diplomatic moves by the new authorities, who took power in December 2024, after 13 years of civil war in Syria.

Assad was ousted in a swift offensive by insurgent forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) a month ago.

The United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union and others imposed sanctions on Syria after the country’s civil war began in 2011. However, the new situation in Syria is complicated by still existing sanctions against HTS and some of its leaders. , due to the group’s past affiliation with Al-Qaeda.