People celebrate in the central city of Homs on Dec. 8, 2024, after rebel forces entered Syria's third city overnight. (Credit: Aref Tammawi/AFP)
A senior United Arab Emirates official urged Syrians on Sunday to collaborate to avert chaos after rebels said they had seized Damascus and announced the fall of President Bashar al-Assad.
"We hope that the Syrians will work together, that we don't just see another episode of impending chaos," presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said at the Manama Dialogue in Bahrain.
Islamist-led rebels declared they had taken Damascus in a lightning offensive on Sunday, sending Assad fleeing and ending five decades of Baath rule in Syria.
Following speculation about Assad's whereabouts, Gargash refused to confirm or deny speculation he would take shelter in the UAE.
"When people ask, 'where is Bashar al-Assad going to?', this is really at the end of the day a footnote in history," he told the forum.
"I don't think it's important. As I said, ultimately this is a footnote really to bigger events," the Emirati official added when pressed on the question by journalists.
A senior United Arab Emirates official urged Syrians on Sunday to collaborate to avert chaos after rebels said they had seized Damascus and announced the fall of President Bashar al-Assad.
"We hope that the Syrians will work together, that we don't just see another episode of impending chaos," presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said at the Manama...