German embassy in Syria reopens after 13-year hiatus due to civil war

Damascus [Syria], March 21: Germany on Thursday reopened its embassy in Damascus, more than three months after the ouster of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad.
The embassy - which closed in 2012 after the outbreak of the Syrian civil war - was formally opened by Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during a visit to the Syrian capital.
The move represents a significant step in the restoration of relations between Damascus and Berlin. Germany has a large population of more than 1 million Syrian residents, many of whom fled their homeland during the bloody civil war.
The conflict finally ended late last year with the overthrow of strongman al-Assad, who fled to Russia as his regime collapsed following a lightning offensive led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.
A transitional government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa has since been working to restore security and revive the country's shattered economy after more than a decade of conflict.
Baerbock met al-Sharaa for the second time on Thursday, accompanied by German lawmaker Armin Laschet, her former rival as candidate for chancellor in 2021.
The Syrian president did not offer a handshake to either politician.
Al-Sharaa's failure to shake Baerbock's hand during their first meeting in January - after shaking that of her French counterpart - provoked a storm of controversy in Germany.
Baerbock's trip came just two weeks after violent clashes in north-western Syria left hundreds dead.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a London-based monitor, has recorded more than 1,500 people killed in the violence, most of them civilians from the Alawite religious minority - the sect to which al-Assad belongs.
Speaking from Beirut before her flight to Syria, Baerbock condemned the "targeted killing of civilians," calling it a "terrible crime" that had significantly damaged trust.
The foreign minister reaffirmed Germany's commitment to providing continued humanitarian aid to Syria, while also signalling a potential easing of sanctions - but only under certain conditions.
"A new political beginning between Europe and Syria, between Germany and Syria, is possible," said Baerbock, adding that this would require clear commitments to ensure freedom, security and equal opportunities for all Syrians, regardless of gender, ethnicity or religion.
A small number of German diplomats are set to resume activities in Damascus, but consular work such as issuing visas will continue to be carried out in Beirut, Baerbock confirmed.
Source: Qatar Tribune