Syria creates new Security Council, as Canada lifts sanctions

Syria’s transitional government announced on Wednesday that a National Security Council is to be formed and chaired by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, following a bloodbath on the Syrian coast.

The body, which did not exist under ousted tyrant Bashar al-Assad, will be tasked with “coordinating and managing security and political policies”, according to a decree posted on the Syrian presidency’s Telegram account.

Its creation comes as the authorities seek to impose national rule, disband armed groups, and rebuild the country after more than 13 years of civil war.

That goal has been complicated by a wave of mass killings, mostly of members of the Alawite minority to which Assad belongs, since 6 March, after pro-Assad gunmen attacked security forces and civilians.

The Syrian Network for Human Rights said at least 803 civilians were killed by the security forces and allies groups or regime remnants. Syria’s authorities announced Monday that the operation against Assad loyalists had ended.

Al-Sharaa has vowed to protect Syria’s religious and ethnic minorities, announcing an independent committee to investigate the sectarian violence. 

The decree on the new council stated that it was being formed “in an effort to enhance national security and respond to security and political challenges in the coming stage”.

Most of Syria’s regional allies and neighbours, such as Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, have supported the country as it faces remnants of the Assad regime.

The New Arab’s Arabic sister outlet Al-Araby Al-Jadeed has also exclusively confirmed that Syrian Foreign Minister Ahmed al-Shaibani’s visit to Iraq is back on the agenda for both countries.

Iraq, which contains many pro-Iran militias that fought for Assad against Syrian rebels during the civil war, has not yet established full relations with the new Syrian government, with the recent sectarian violence on the coast further straining relations between the neighbours. 

The announcement comes as the Canadian government announced plans to ease sanctions on Syria during “a period of transition”.

Many Western nations, including Canada, had put a range of sanctions against the Assad regime for war crimes and crimes against humanity but have failed to lift them following the takeover by rebels.

The Canadian government issued a statement announcing the steps saying it displayed Ottawa’s “commitment to deliver much-needed humanitarian assistance to the Syrian people and to support a transition to an inclusive and peaceful future”.

The Canadian government said it is providing C$84 million in new funding for humanitarian assistance to Syria.

“Canada is also taking steps to ease existing sanctions for a period of 6 months, to support democratization, stabilization, and the delivery of aid to and within Syria during this period of transition,” the Canadian government said in its statement.

Canada’s ambassador to Lebanon, Stefanie McCollum, was nominated to serve concurrently as non-resident ambassador to Syria.

Canada added it was issuing a general permit, valid for a period of 6 months, that allows Canadians to carry out financial transactions and services, that are otherwise prohibited and will ease sanctions to allow funds to be sent through certain banks in the country, including Syria’s Central Bank.

Agencies contributed to this report