Saudi Arabia expresses ‘satisfaction’ with positive steps to ensure Syrian people's safety

By Rania Abu Shamala

ISTANBUL (AA) - Saudi Arabia expressed Sunday its satisfaction with the “positive steps” taken to ensure the safety of the Syrian people, prevent bloodshed, and preserve state institutions, calling on the international community to assist the country.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled Syria to an unknown location 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.

In the statement, Saudi Foreign Ministry stated that it is “monitoring the rapid developments in the brotherly country of Syria and expressing its satisfaction with the positive steps taken to ensure the safety of the Syrian people, prevent bloodshed, and preserve Syria’s state institutions and resources.”

Saudi Arabia called for “concerted efforts to preserve Syria’s unity and the cohesion of its people, to protect it from slipping into chaos and division.”

The Kingdom also confirmed its “support for all that will achieve Syria’s security and stability, while preserving its sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.”

Saudi Arabia called on the international community “to stand by the Syrian people and cooperate with them in all matters that serve Syria and fulfill the aspirations of its people, while refraining from interfering in its internal affairs.”

It emphasized the importance of “supporting Syria in this critical phase to help it overcome the suffering endured by the Syrian people over many years.”

It continued by saying that this suffering “led to the loss of hundreds of thousands of innocent lives, millions of displaced and exiled people, and the devastation caused by foreign militias imposing external agendas on the Syrian people.”