Egyptian FM Calls For Ending Foreign Interference in Libya

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. Reuters
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. Reuters
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Egyptian FM Calls For Ending Foreign Interference in Libya

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. Reuters
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry. Reuters

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Wednesday called for the halt of foreign interference in Libya and expressed support for a political solution.

In remarks on the sidelines of the 155th session of the Arab League Council, Shoukry indicated that Egypt exerted relentless efforts to reach a peace settlement in Libya.

As for the Syrian crisis, he said the country has been in a vicious circle for 10 years.

“The Syrian people have been suffering, without hope for a better near-future,” Shoukry noted, indicating that returning Syria as an effective and stable country is vital to maintain Arab national security.

On Palestine, Shoukry affirmed Egypt's keenness to keep the Palestinian cause on the international agenda, stressing the Palestinian issue had been subjected to a deep crisis during the previous period.

Further, the Egyptian top envoy condemned the Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia and expressed support to Saudi leadership.

“We fully support Saudi Arabia’s efforts in defending themselves from the Houthi militia.”

In another context, Shoukry appreciated the Arab role in supporting Egypt and Sudan's stance on the issue of the Renaissance Dam.

"We did not wish to detract any party’s right. We are seeking to reach an agreement that guarantees our legitimate rights and does not detract from Ethiopia's right to development and the rights of Egypt and Sudan in the waters of the Nile," the FM said.



Syria’s Reconciliation Committee Prioritizes Stability after Anger Over Prisoner Releases

Member of the High Committee for National Reconciliation Hassan Soufan and the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Facebook)
Member of the High Committee for National Reconciliation Hassan Soufan and the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Facebook)
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Syria’s Reconciliation Committee Prioritizes Stability after Anger Over Prisoner Releases

Member of the High Committee for National Reconciliation Hassan Soufan and the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Facebook)
Member of the High Committee for National Reconciliation Hassan Soufan and the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Facebook)

Syria’s High Committee for National Reconciliation has defended recent controversial prisoner releases, saying the decision aims to preserve national stability amid ongoing tensions.

Committee member Hassan Soufan confirmed that several officers recently freed had voluntarily surrendered in 2021 at the Iraqi border and in the Al-Sukhna region, under a formal request for safe conduct.

Speaking at a press conference in Damascus on Tuesday, Soufan addressed public backlash following the releases and acknowledged the deep pain felt by victims’ families.

“We fully understand the anger and grief of the families of martyrs,” he said. “But the current phase requires decisions that can help secure relative stability for the coming period.”

The controversy erupted after the Ministry of Interior announced on Sunday the release of dozens of detainees in Latakia, many of whom were arrested during the “Deterrence of Aggression” operation, which contributed to the fall of the Assad regime.

Among those involved in the mediation effort was Fadi Saqr, a former commander in the regime’s National Defense Forces, who has been accused of war crimes, including involvement in the Tadamon massacre in southern Damascus.

Soufan explained that the released officers had undergone investigation and were found not to have participated in war crimes. “Keeping them imprisoned no longer serves a national interest,” he said. “It has no legal justification.”

He stressed that Syria is in a delicate phase of national reconciliation, in which balancing justice and peace is critical.

“There are two parallel tracks - transitional justice and civil peace - and today, the priority is civil peace, as it lays the groundwork for all other strategic efforts,” he said.

Soufan added that the committee has requested expanded powers from the Syrian president, including the authority to release detainees not proven guilty and to coordinate directly with state institutions.

He insisted that the aim is not to bypass justice, but to prevent further bloodshed. “Vengeance and retribution are not paths to justice,” he said. “They allow real criminals to slip away while deepening divisions.”

While affirming that transitional justice remains essential, Soufan noted that it should focus on top perpetrators of atrocities, not individuals who merely served under the regime. “Justice means accountability for those who planned and carried out major crimes, not blanket punishment.”