The former Home Secretary Priti Patel has said the UK and the international community needs to watch the situation in Syria “very carefully.”
Patel told Sky News that this is about “the Syrian people” and we need figure out a peace plan as “Syrians need to be protected. All communities and groups, including all minorities.”
The former Home Secretary added, “We all need to look very carefully about how we respond,” as there is a “degree of anxiety” across the Middle East.
Patel said, “I think the anxiety is very much a case of we don’t quite know the full extent of what’s going on.
“There are wider questions even about Assad’s regime, his weapons and supplies, what could go on and happen on the ground, which comes back to my point about the protection of the Syrian people and minority groups.
“I think realistically now, we have a responsibility with our friends and allies and close partners in this region to look at how we can structure with Syria a potential peace plan.” “There are wider questions even about Assad’s regime, his weapons and supplies, what could go on and happen on the ground, which comes back to my point about the protection of the Syrian people and minority groups.
“I think realistically now, we have a responsibility with our friends and allies and close partners in this region to look at how we can structure with Syria a potential peace plan.”
The former MI6 spy chief said it would be “ridiculous” if the UK were not to engage with the Sryian rebel group, Hayat Tahrir al Sham group.
Sir John Sawers told Sky’s Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips, “When I was chief of MI6 10 or 12 years ago, we looked at all of these Syrian opposition groups and classified them into those that we could support and those who were beyond the pale and too close to al Qaeda, and Tahrir al-Sham was definitely in the latter category.
“But I think Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader, has made great efforts over the last 10 years to distance himself from those terrorist groups and certainly the actions we’ve seen of Tahrir al-Sham over the last two weeks has been those of a liberation movement, not of a terrorist organisation.”
The former spy chief said he is now expecting the Home Secretary Yvette Cooper will most likely be asking MI5 along with the joint terrorism assessment centre for a review of the unfolding situation in Syria and whether or not Hayat Tahrir al Sham should remain as a proscribed group.
Sir John added, “It would be rather ridiculous, actually, if we’re unable to engage with the new leadership in Syria because of a proscription dating back 12 years.”
Iran and Russia are “monitoring developments in Syria closely” and that “long standing and friendly relations” with Syria will continue.
The Iranian back militant group Hezbollah has withdrawn all of their forces from Syria, Reuters reports.
