Germany reopens its embassy in Syria, 13 years after it was closed

Germany reopened its embassy in Damascus on Thursday, 13 years after it was shut in the early days of Syria’s civil war.

Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock reopened the embassy during a visit to Damascus, her second since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad in December, German news agency dpa reported.

Germany is one of the leading powers in the European Union. Of the 27-nation bloc’s other members, Italy reopened its embassy last year before the fall of al-Assad, and Spain reopened its embassy after his ouster.

Baerbock said in a statement ahead of her arrival that her trip is meant to renew the message that “a political new beginning between Europe and Syria, between Germany and Syria is possible.”

But that comes with “clear expectations that there is freedom, security and opportunity in Syria for all people — for women and men, for people belong to all ethnic groups and religions,” she added.

Clashes earlier this month between fighters loyal to al-Assad and forces of the country’s new rulers sparked the worst violence since the civil war, leaving about 1,000 dead, most of them members of al-Assad’s Alawite minority community.

Baerbock said the clashes have “massively cost confidence” and that the transitional government of interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa “must have control over the actions of the groups in its own ranks and bring those responsible to account.”

The interim government earlier this month signed a deal with the Kurdish-led authority that controls the country’s northeast. Baerbock praised that “historic” agreement and said that there needs to be inclusion for other groups as well so that they can feel they’re “part of a new Syria.”