Arab League calls on Syrians to uphold tolerance, rights for all after Assad’s fall

By Ahmed Asmar

ANKARA (AA) – The Arab League has called on the Syrian people to uphold tolerance and safeguard the rights of all Syrians following the downfall of the Bashar al-Assad regime.

In a statement issued late Sunday, the Cairo-based league said it is following with great interest the rapid developments in Syria.

“The current critical stage requires all Syrians to uphold the concepts of tolerance and dialogue, protect the rights of all components of Syrian society and place the interests of the homeland above all considerations,” the statement said.

It also urged all Syrians to work “to complete the political transition process in a peaceful, comprehensive, and secure manner.”

The pan-Arab body called for preserving Syria's territorial integrity and sovereignty and rejecting foreign interference in all its forms.

Assad fled Syria to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of the capital Damascus early Sunday, marking the collapse of the Baath Party regime, which had been in power in Syria since 1963.

It came over a week after anti-regime groups seized control of Aleppo, a major city in northern Syria.