US President-elect says 'should not get involved', Iran denies rumors of evacuating embassy, ​​2,000 soldiers cross border into Iraq

On December 7, Iranian media reported that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, during a meeting with his Russian and Turkish counterparts in Qatar, agreed that the fighting in Syria should be stopped immediately.

Anti -government rebels on the streets of Hama, Syria after taking control of the area, December 6. (Source: AFP)

“The most important thing is to start political negotiations between the Syrian government and legitimate opposition groups,” Mr Araqchi said.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei denied reports that the country had evacuated staff from its embassy in the Syrian capital Damascus.

Mr. Baghaei affirmed that the news about the evacuation of the Iranian Embassy in Damascus is not true, adding that the institution is still operating.

Since November 27, Syrian rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham have launched major attacks on several fronts in Syria, seizing key cities such as Aleppo and Hama. The US and Russia have now called on their citizens to leave Syria immediately.

In a related development, on the same day, December 7, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said that his country does not intervene in the conflict in Syria but expressed concern about the violation of the 1974 ceasefire agreement between the two countries.

“Over the past day, armed groups have entered the buffer zone on the Syrian side of the Israeli border and attacked the United Nations peacekeeping force (UNDOF) in the area... Israel is concerned about the violation of the ceasefire agreement with Syria in May 1974... The State of Israel does not interfere in the internal conflict in Syria,” Sa’ar said.

Over the past few days, the Israeli military has increased its forces on the border with Syria. According to information from the Israeli military, they have added forces including infantry and air force, along with intelligence and surveillance networks.

Also on December 7, US President-elect Donald Trump emphasized that "we should not get involved" in the situation in Syria, where rebel forces announced they had begun besieging the capital Damascus.

Meanwhile, Iraqi government spokesman Bassem al-Awadi said on December 7 that about 2,000 Syrian army soldiers had crossed the border into the country to seek refuge as opposition forces continued to advance in Syria.

According to Mr. Awadi, the Iraqi army has received and confiscated the weapons and equipment of these soldiers, and at the same time, treated them according to the principles of good neighborliness and humanity.

The spokesman also said Iraqi officials expressed concern about the security of the al-Hol detention camp and other facilities in northeastern Syria that hold suspected members of the Islamic State group and their families and are guarded by US-backed Kurdish forces.

Also on December 7, the Syrian Presidential Office denied information that President Bashar al-Assad had left the capital Damascus before the rebel attack.

The statement condemned "rumors and false information" and added that President Assad "is still carrying out his national and constitutional duties and tasks in the capital".

On the same day, the Syrian Ministry of Defense also denied information that the country's army had withdrawn from the suburbs of the capital Damascus. The ministry's announcement said that "this is a fake news campaign aimed at spreading fear", the Syrian army still holds its positions and is deployed in all suburbs of Damascus, ready to confront any action.

Earlier, some information said that the Syrian government army had withdrawn from some positions in the provinces south of the capital, including Quneitra and Daraa (near the Golan Heights) and Sweida.

Rebels in Daraa have advanced to within 20 km of the capital Damascus after seizing several military positions and persuading some soldiers to surrender or desert, reports said.

On the evening of December 6, the rebels announced that they had taken control of the city of Daraa.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/tinh-hinh-syria-tong-thong-dac-cu-my-noi-khong-nen-can-du-iran-bac-tin-don-so-tan-dai-su-quan-2000-linh-vuot-bien-vao-iraq-296628.html