UNSC discusses situation in Syria, amid condemnation of terror attacks

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: United Nations Security Council
Today 02:05
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22 Arab states condemned the terror offensive on Syrian territory and reaffirmed their backing to the Syrian Arab Republic.

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Nacim Gaouaoui, Deputy Permanent Representative of Algeria to the United Nations, speaks during a Security Council meeting at United Nations headquarters, on November 25, 2024. (AP)

The United States, which holds the presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), has been accused of looting Syrian resources and backing terrorism, by representatives of Russia and Syria during a meeting on UNSC.

The urgent meeting, called by the A3+ — a bloc comprising Algeria, Guyana, Mozambique, and Sierra Leone — and supported by China and Russia, was marked by significant controversy. The tension stemmed largely from the actions of the council's president, as well as the United States' role and policies in the Middle East.

Russia calls out US for abusing UNSC presidency

In detail, the US presidency breached the established practice of the council by inviting the director of the White Helmets, an organization accused of colluding with Western governments and terrorists against Syrian interests.

Russia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia drew a point of order during the meeting and pointed to the breach, saying that the US has been abusing its powers in the UNSC "since the very first day."

Nebenzia explained that it did not consult the delegates of the A3+ before inviting the White Helmets director to the meeting.

"The White Helmets, as we know, have been repeatedly implicated in large-scale falsifications, which were geared to vilify the Syrian authorities," the Russian representative explained.

US, Ukraine backed terrorists in Syria

Nebenzia also accused the US and its allies of supporting terrorist groups in Syria. He specifically highlighted the involvement of Ukraine in aiding these organizations, which had launched offensives on government-controlled areas—an issue he had repeatedly warned about in previous statements.

He explained that militants and advisers affiliated with Ukrainian military intelligence (GUR) have trained and prepared Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) terrorists.

Terrorism is the common enemy: China

Permanent Representative of the People's Republic of China to the UN Ambassador Fu Cong warned against the terror offensive launched against Syria, on November 27, 2024, saying that the attacks have undermined stability that prevailed in the country.

"Terrorism is the common enemy of the international community," Fu underlined, adding that members of the international community should rid themselves of double standards.

Syria points to US looting of resources

Meanwhile, Syria's representative blasted his US counterpart, pointing to Washington's ongoing occupation of Syria territories and its looting of Syrian resources, under the guise of counterterrorism

He also accused international and regional actors of using terrorism as a foreign policy in order to undermine the sovereignty of the Syrian state, underlining the scale of the terror offensive, which could not have been executed without foreign backing.

Syria's representative also thanked the representatives of the A3+ group, China, and Russia for facilitating the urgent meeting.

Arab Group condemns terror attack, backs Syrian government

Lebanon's representative, Hadi Hachem, read out a statement during the UNSC meeting on behalf of the Arab Group, which includes 22 Arab countries.

Hachem underlined that the Arab Group condemns the terrorist attacks launched in northern Syria.

"The Group stresses the importance of respecting the sovereignty, unity, stability, and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic and stresses the importance of combatting terrorism in all its forms and manifestations," a statement of the Arab Group underlined.

Moreover, Hachem said that the Arab Group backs the Syrian Arab Republic in its fight against terrorism led by ISIS and al-Nusra Front while condemning ongoing Israeli aggression on Syria and the occupation of the Syrian Golan.