Rubio cautions Syria could be weeks away from 'full-scale civil war'
3 Min Read
The US Secretary of State warns that Syria may face a full-scale civil war within weeks if international support for the transitional government fails, amid rising sectarian violence.
-
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a Kennedy Center Board dinner in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC, on May 19, 2025 (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned on Tuesday that Syria may be just weeks away from descending into a new civil war of "epic proportions" unless urgent support is provided to the transitional government.
"It is our assessment that, frankly, the transitional authority, given the challenges they're facing, are maybe weeks -- not many months -- away from potential collapse and a full-scale civil war of epic proportions, basically the country splitting up," Rubio told a Senate hearing.
His comments follow a wave of violent attacks targeting Syria’s Alawite and Druze minorities.
Last week, US President Donald Trump visited Saudi Arabia, where he announced the lifting of sanctions from the al-Assad era and met with Syria’s new transitional president, Ahmad al-Sharaa.
Al-Sharaa, recently removed from a US wanted list for al-Qaeda ties, was praised by Trump during a meeting, while Rubio acknowledged concerns about the transitional leadership’s background but argued that engaging with them offers at least a chance for stability.
"The transitional authority figures, they didn't pass their background check with the FBI," he stated.
Trump plans to waive Caesar Act sanctions on Syria
Rubio, who also met with Syria’s foreign minister in Turkey, attributed the country’s renewed violence to the legacy of former leader Bashar al-Assad.
Regarding the lifting of sanctions, the secretary of state said it was to allow other nations to bring in assistance.
"The nations in the region want to get aid in, want to start helping them, and they can't because they're afraid of our sanctions," Rubio alleged.
He said Trump plans to waive the Caesar Act sanctions on Syria to encourage investment, but noted Congress may need to fully repeal the law for long-term impact.
EU lifts all economic sanctions on Syria
Meanwhile, the EU approved lifting all economic sanctions on Syria, including those targeting its banking system, while keeping individual sanctions related to ethnic violence in place.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani praised the lifting of international sanctions as a "historic opportunity" for Syria to rebuild, inviting global investment and cooperation.
At a joint press conference, Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi echoed the sentiment, calling this a "new phase" for Syria that deserves a chance to succeed.
