UN chief Guterres makes historic visit to Syria, first since war began

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrived in Syria on Saturday, marking the first visit by a sitting UN chief since the outbreak of the Syrian war nearly 14 years ago, a conflict that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and displaced millions.

The visit follows the ousting of former President Bashar Assad in late 2024, ushering in a transitional period led by Islamists. Guterres had described the end of Assad's rule as a sign of hope for the region.

Guterres is scheduled to meet Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa, the former leader of Al-Qaeda’s Syrian branch who remained under UN sanctions until November 2025. He will also hold talks with Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani, other government officials, and representatives of civil society.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said Guterres would stress the importance of seizing the opportunity for Syria to recover from conflict and build a more stable, prosperous, and inclusive future for all Syrians. The visit is expected to last several days, though the full schedule has not been announced.

Syria returns to the international stage

President Al-Sharaa’s government is seeking to rebuild Syria’s international relations and economy after years of war and isolation. The transitional period has seen sectarian violence that left around 1,500 members of the Alawite community and hundreds of Druze dead, prompting Guterres to call for accountability for those responsible for these violations.

Al-Sharaa severed ties with Al-Qaeda in 2016 and led the Islamist opposition coalition that toppled Assad in December 2024. His government is now working to expand Syria’s diplomatic relations beyond Russia and Iran.

Last year, Al-Sharaa attended the UN General Assembly in New York, becoming the first Syrian president to do so since 1967. The United States has lifted most of its sweeping sanctions on Syria, and President Donald Trump informed Al-Sharaa of his intention to remove Syria from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.

Guterres is expected to address the new Syrian parliament on Monday and visit the UN peacekeeping force that manages the buffer zone between Israeli and Syrian forces. Israeli troops seized new areas in southern Syria after Assad’s ouster, with Damascus demanding their withdrawal and a return to the 1974 disengagement agreement.