Syria Muslim Brotherhood slams reopening of Arab embassies in Damascus

The Muslim Brotherhood in Syria on Saturday slammed decisions by some Arab countries to reopen their embassies in the capital Damascus ruled by regime President Bashar Al-Assad.

The group described the moves in a statement posted on its official website as “supporting terrorism in the region”.

“The reopening of the embassies is a regrettable step which supports the Assad regime and reflects the return of diplomatic relations between the two sides,” the group said, adding that “millions of Syrians have been waiting for a step forward that would help get rid of this regime and its crimes, and implement the UN resolutions that achieve political transition and build a future Syria without Assad and his regime.”

“Supporting the Assad regime is support for the Iranian expansionism project and support for extremism and terrorism in the region, and acceptance of all crimes against humanity committed by this regime,” the statement added.

READ: Bahrain affirms embassy in ‘brotherly’ Syria is operational 

According to the statement: “The causes and ideology of the revolution still exist and will continue as long as this regime survives.”

On Friday, the Bahraini Foreign Ministry announced the reopening of its embassy in Damascus, stressing its keenness to maintain relations with the Syrian regime.

The visit came just one week after Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir visited Al-Assad in Damascus – the first state visit of any Arab leader since the war broke out in 2011. In a statement, Al-Bashir affirmed the importance of Syria’s sovereignty under its “legitimate leadership”.

Last week, anonymous diplomats also told Reuters that the majority of states want Syria to return to the Arab League at the next summit in March next year, with only three or four expected to oppose this. The meeting, set to take place in Tunisia, would see the Assad government officially welcomed back into the fold.

In October, President Al-Assad told a little-known Kuwaiti newspaper that Syria had reached a “major understanding” with Arab states after years of hostility, adding that Arab and Western delegations had started to visit the country to prepare for the reopening of diplomatic missions. A week later, the Nassib border crossing between Jordan and Syria officially opened to civilians and trade for the first time since it was closed three years ago.