Saudi FM will visit Damascus in coming days: Source to Sputnik

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
16 Feb 15:56

An informed source tells Sputnik that arrangements are underway for Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister's visit to Damascus within days.

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud speaks during a news conference at the GCC's 41st Summit in Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia, on January 5, 2021. (Reuters)

An informed source told Sputnik that Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud intends to visit the Syrian capital, Damascus, in the coming days.

The source said arrangements are currently underway for bin Farhan's visit within days.

This comes as Saudi Arabia is participating in relief operations following the catastrophic earthquake that struck Syria.

A Saudi plane loaded with 34 tonnes of food and medical supplies for those affected by the earthquake arrived on Thursday in Aleppo -- the third Saudi plane to land at Aleppo airport.

The General Director of the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA), Basem Mansour, highlighted that the total number of planes that arrived at Syrian airports until 10 am on Wednesday amounted to 112 planes.

Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad on Wednesday said that he positively received "any positive stance" from Arab nations, including those who had severed their diplomatic ties with Damascus since 2011.

"The Syrian people welcome and respond to any positive stance towards them, especially from the Arab brothers," Al-Assad said in a statement issued by his office after meeting with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi in Damascus.

Turkey-Syria Earthquake

Thousands have been killed and tens of thousands injured after a powerful earthquake rocked Turkey and Syria on Monday. The magnitude 7.8 quake was one of the strongest to strike the area in more than a century. Rescue workers are digging through debris in freezing conditions, while the death toll is on the rise.