Saudi Arabia Welcomes Australia’s Designation of Hezbollah as Terrorist Group

General view in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, June 21 2020. REUTERS/Ahmed Yosri
General view in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, June 21 2020. REUTERS/Ahmed Yosri
TT

Saudi Arabia Welcomes Australia’s Designation of Hezbollah as Terrorist Group

General view in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, June 21 2020. REUTERS/Ahmed Yosri
General view in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, June 21 2020. REUTERS/Ahmed Yosri

Saudi Arabia has welcomed Australia’s announcement that it has listed all of Lebanon’s Hezbollah as a "terrorist organization.”

The Saudi Foreign Ministry stressed on Saturday the importance of this step in strengthening international peace and security, and urged the international community to take a similar stance to confront terrorism and terrorist groups around the world.

Australia said Wednesday it was extending an existing ban on armed units to the entire movement.

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said that the Iran-backed group "continues to threaten terrorist attacks and provide support to terrorist organizations" and poses a "real" and "credible" threat to Australia.



Qatar to Reopen Its Embassy in Syria on Tuesday

 A child holding the flag adopted by the new Syrian rulers is held up, as people celebrate after fighters of the ruling Syrian body ousted Syria's Bashar al-Assad, in the Damascus old city, Syria, December 13, 2024. (Reuters)
A child holding the flag adopted by the new Syrian rulers is held up, as people celebrate after fighters of the ruling Syrian body ousted Syria's Bashar al-Assad, in the Damascus old city, Syria, December 13, 2024. (Reuters)
TT

Qatar to Reopen Its Embassy in Syria on Tuesday

 A child holding the flag adopted by the new Syrian rulers is held up, as people celebrate after fighters of the ruling Syrian body ousted Syria's Bashar al-Assad, in the Damascus old city, Syria, December 13, 2024. (Reuters)
A child holding the flag adopted by the new Syrian rulers is held up, as people celebrate after fighters of the ruling Syrian body ousted Syria's Bashar al-Assad, in the Damascus old city, Syria, December 13, 2024. (Reuters)

Qatar will reopen its embassy in Syria on Tuesday after it was closed for more than 13 years, the Gulf country's foreign ministry said on Sunday, a week after Bashar al-Assad was removed from power.

Qatar's embassy in Damascus has been shut since July 2011 when it withdrew its ambassador from Damascus after a series of deadly crackdowns by Assad's regime on protesters - violence that led to the 13-year-long civil war.

Doha in recent years did not join efforts by several Arab countries to mend relations with Assad's government and re-establish diplomatic relations with Damascus.

A lightning advance by the opposition, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group led to the ouster of Assad on Dec. 8.

Qatar's foreign ministry said in a statement its decision to reopen the embassy reflects its support for the Syrian people and their "struggle to attain their legitimate rights for a dignified life".