Chaos in Syria

Who will follow al-Assad? USA fears rise of IS

A power vacuum is emerging in Syria that could be filled by new extremists.

(Bild: AFP/OMAR HAJ KADOUR)

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned of a resurgence of the extremist militia Islamic State (IS) in Syria. Although the end of Bashar al-Assad's regime offers a historic opportunity, there are also considerable risks.

For example, IS will use the situation to reposition itself and create safe havens. "We will not allow this to happen, as our precision attacks at the weekend showed," said Blinken.

According to the US military, it attacked IS targets in Syria on Sunday. The militia took over large parts of Syria and Iraq in 2014 and declared a caliphate. A US-led coalition drove them back in 2019.

Following the fall of Syrian ruler al-Assad, the UN Security Council in New York discussed the situation in the country behind closed doors. "The Council more or less agreed on the need to preserve the territorial integrity and unity of Syria, to ensure the protection of civilians and to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches the population in need," said Russian UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzia.

Paris and Berlin take first step
The Security Council met at Russia's request. "Everyone has been surprised by the events, everyone, including the members of the Council," Nebensja told journalists after the meeting. "So we have to wait, observe and assess how the situation will develop."

There could also be a "document" from the Security Council in the coming days, Nebensja announced. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and French President Emmanuel Macron have declared their willingness to work together with the "new rulers" on the basis of fundamental human rights and the protection of ethnic and religious minorities.