Brussels: The European Union has called upon Syrian authorities to initiate a "transparent, credible and impartial investigation" into the recent violence in southern Syria, which has resulted in hundreds of casualties. These incidents included attacks reportedly executed by various armed groups targeting civilians.
According to Kuwait News Agency, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas issued a statement on behalf of the bloc, emphasizing the necessity for accountability and justice for perpetrators of grave violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws. The EU urged all involved parties to respect the existing ceasefire and ensure civilian safety irrespective of ethnic or religious affiliations, while also calling for the protection of civilian infrastructure, including religious sites.
The EU reaffirmed its commitment to supporting partners delivering essential humanitarian aid amidst the ongoing crisis and appealed to all parties, especially the transitional authorities, to guarantee urgent and unrestricted humanitarian access to life-saving services like health, water, and food. Further, the EU emphasized the protection of humanitarian personnel.
In light of the situation, the EU called on "all external actors without exception" to respect Syria's unity, independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity and condemned unilateral foreign military actions and any attempts to destabilize Syria through foreign information manipulation. The bloc highlighted the importance of dialogue and advancing a truly inclusive and peaceful transition that respects human rights and the aspirations of all Syrians.
The EU reminded Syria's transitional authorities of their responsibility to protect all citizens without distinction and to undertake disarmament and restructuring of national security forces in line with international standards. It reiterated its readiness to support these efforts towards a Syrian-led and owned transition and noted its recent lifting of certain restrictive measures as part of a "gradual, reversible approach."