Delegations Accuse Each Other of Being Responsible for Recent Hostilities
A vast swathe of Syrian territory - containing approximately 7 million people - has come under the control of non-State actors, including the terrorist group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham and armed opposition groups, the Organization's senior official for that country told the Security Council today, as he warned that more bloodshed could be on its way.
"In the last week, we have seen dramatic shifts in front lines in Syria, radically altering a status quo," said Geir Pederson, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, addressing the Council via video conference. On 27 November, the al-Fateh al-Mubeen Joint Operations Room - a coalition containing both Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham and armed opposition groups, including the Syrian National Army - launched a ground operation, with drone cover, across agreed de-escalation lines, taking de facto control of almost the entirety of Aleppo and Idlib governorates.
He underscored that even though Syrian Government forces have since regrouped and established defensive lines in Hama, repelling some fighters, they are being "severely tested", with Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham and armed opposition groups advancing very close to Hama - a major city of some 1 million people. In addition, pro-Government air strikes on both military and civilian targets - including hospitals - have intensified in recent days. Meanwhile, violence has erupted on a second axis, with the opposition Syrian National Army launching an operation on 30 November on Tal Rifaat, a pocket north of Aleppo city under the de facto control of Syrian Democratic Forces-affiliated (SDF) forces.
Stressing that "the situation is in flux", with an unclear information environment, he said that these developments have provoked different reactions among the Syrian people - "a grave threat for some, a signal of hope for others". Armed actors in the north-west - including Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham - have offered reassurances to all civilians, including minorities, through a series of public pronouncements. Nevertheless, some women leaders have expressed particular fears and are seeking reassurances.
"We need de-escalation and we need calm," he said, appealing to all parties to protect civilian populations and infrastructure and allow safe passage for Syrians fleeing violence. However, "this alone does not suffice," he stressed, adding that the Syrian conflict cannot be resolved via military means and de-escalation must be accompanied by a credible political horizon for the Syrian people.
Also briefing the Council was Raed Al Saleh, Director of the White Helmets, who said his organization has been responding to the brutal attacks on Syrians launched by the country's regime, the Russian Federation and Iranian cross-border militias, which have escalated in the last six days. Yesterday, Moscow launched air strikes that put four hospitals in Idlib out of service, he said, asking: "Who would expect a Member State of the United Nations and a permanent member of the Security Council to participate in this heinous crime and cross thousands of kilometres in its aircraft to launch deadly attacks on the population and destroy hospitals and vital facilities?" The strikes killed 25 civilians, most of them children, who were impatiently waiting to say goodbye to their tents in a camp near Idlib and return to their village, he said.
Turning to Aleppo, which also "had its share of Syrian-Russian death and destruction", he said over the past few days, the White Helmets responded to air strikes that targeted the university hospital, a church, and residential areas in the city. The White Helmets have dispatched ambulances and specialized teams to work alongside the city's humanitarian partners and emergency services. Highlighting the real threat of chemical attacks, he called on the Russian Federation to end its use of the veto that supports that regime.
In the ensuing discussions, many delegates, voicing deep concern over the recent intensification of hostilities in Syria, urged all parties to de-escalate and prioritize dialogue. Several speakers accused their counterparts of being responsible in the uptick of violence and the ongoing conflict.
"Syria remains as dangerous as ever," warned the United Kingdom's delegate, expressing deep concern that further escalation - particularly Moscow's large-scale attacks against civilians - will only lead to more displacement of vulnerable people, disrupted humanitarian aid access and more suffering. Through its ongoing refusal to engage in the political process, "the Assad regime - along with its Russian and Iranian backers - has created the conditions for instability", he asserted, calling for de-escalation.
A significant shift in Syria "has again turned into an active war zone", observed Slovenia's representative. The actions of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham have already taken human lives and have profound implications for international peace and security. Reignition of a wider conflict in Syria could also have a devastating impact on the region, he cautioned, declaring: "We cannot allow the recent resurgence of violence to add another fuel to the fire that will further extend the conflict."
Algeria's delegate, also speaking for Guyana, Mozambique and Sierra Leone, said the recent attacks, including those perpetrated by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, have led to the tragic loss of innocent civilian lives. He said there is no longer time for conflict management, calling on the international community to prioritize a durable political solution that preserves Syria's unity and territorial integrity.
The recent hostilities occurred amid a deteriorated humanitarian situation, said France's representative, underlining that "everything must be done to avoid disruption of humanitarian access as well as further population displacement". As winter approaches, access to humanitarian assistance must be maintained to keep these paths open, both across borders and across front lines, he added.
"Terrorism is the common enemy of the international community," China's delegate said, expressing concern about the seizure of the Iranian consulate in Aleppo. Stressing the importance of assisting the Syrian Government in eliminating the threat by terrorist forces in its territory, he said the international community must take measures to cut off their channels for obtaining weapons. Foreign forces must end their illegal military presence in Syria and the relevant country should immediately lift its unilateral sanctions, he said, emphasizing that a political settlement, respectful of Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, is the only way out.
However, the representative of the United States, Council President for December, spoke in his national capacity, emphasizing that the "Assad regime's refusal to engage in the political process outlined in resolution 2254 (2015) - and its reliance on Moscow and Tehran - created the conditions now unfolding". The recent rebel offensive - "which the U.S. had nothing to do with", he declared - is being led by a group designated as a terrorist organization by both the United States and the United Nations. However, such designation does not justify further atrocities by "the Assad regime and its Russian backers", he stressed. He added: "The Council must speak with one voice in demanding that all parties cease brutal aerial attacks and adhere to international law."
Meanwhile, the representative of the Russian Federation, expressing regret that the Special Envoy did not have the courage to "call a spade a spade", condemned the terrorist attack on Syria by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham and other illegal armed groups. Western nations chose to ignore his delegation's repeated warnings against engaging with international terrorists, he said, adding that the waiting militants took advantage of the difficult situation in the Golan Heights and the border with Lebanon "to stab the Syrian people in the back". The Syrian armed forces, supported by Russian aerospace forces and other allies, have been making targeted strikes against the terrorists, he noted.
According to available information, the terrorists are primarily supported by the Americans and their allies, he added, drawing attention to the involvement of Ukraine's intelligence directorate in training and supplying weapons to the militants. Washington, D.C., and its allies are exploiting every opportunity to sow chaos in Syria while "whitewashing" Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham as a moderate Syrian opposition, he added.
For his part, Syria's representative said that Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham aims to seize control of multiple areas in northern Syria, especially in the governorates of Aleppo and Idlib, and the international highway which connects the northern and southern regions of the country. Noting the continued influx of terrorists and weapons across the northern borders, he underlined that the scale and scope of the terrorist attack unequivocally demonstrates the extent of international support they are receiving.
More so, he pointed out that this terrorist attack - which disrupted all aspects of life in Aleppo - could not have been carried out without a joint Turkish-Israeli green light and operational border. His country will take all necessary measures to defend its citizens, he said, adding that the terrorist organizations who have stained their hands with the blood of Syrians are part of the problem and not part of the solution.
Several delegations, under rule 37, also took the floor, including Türkiye's representative who, citing the Syrian conflict as "a stark reminder of the costs of political inaction", emphasized that without a genuine process of national reconciliation, the country will remain trapped in a cycle of instability and suffering. However, Israel's ongoing attacks across the region further complicate the fragile situation. As well, the violations of the Astana agreements - initiated by Ankara to achieve de-escalation on the ground - "have pushed Syria further into chaos", he said.
Lebanon's delegate, speaking for the Arab Group, also said it is essential to stay away from foreign agendas and called for the withdrawal of all external forces from Syria. He condemned the attack led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham and -noting the dire repercussions to regional and international peace - voiced support for Damascus as it combats terrorism in the form of Da'esh, the Nusra Front and affiliated groups as well as the repeated Israeli aggression and occupation of the Syrian Golan.
In the same vein, Iran's representative stressed that, "at the heart of this crisis, lies external support and intervention". He said that the scale and sophistication of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham's operations "highlight deliberate external support, with the United States at the forefront". Stressing that "what happened in Aleppo and Idlib should serve as a wake-up call for the entire region regarding the resurgence of terrorism and extremism", he stated that no distinction can - or should - be made between types of terrorism. "If the international community fails to confront this terrorist group decisively, its growing dominance over parts of Syria could trigger catastrophic consequences," he said.
At the outset of today's meeting, despite a point of order by the Russian Federation, the Council decided to extend an invitation - under rule 39 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure - to Raed Al Saleh, Director of the White Helmets, to participate in it, by a recorded vote of 11 votes in favour to 2 against (Russian Federation, China), with 2 abstentions (Algeria, Mozambique).
NEW - Follow real-time meetings coverage on our LIVE blog .
