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Morocco, US Discuss Cooperation in Security, Regional Defense

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken (Reuters)
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken (Reuters)
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Morocco, US Discuss Cooperation in Security, Regional Defense

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken (Reuters)
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken (Reuters)

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken held a telephone conversation with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, during which he praised Morocco's commitment to peace and security in the Middle East region.

Blinken tweeted that they discussed the strong bilateral, regional security and defense cooperation.

"We also discussed my recent trip and meetings with Egyptian, Israeli, and Palestinian leaders."

A statement by the US State Department spokesman Ned Price stated that Blinken, who is on tour in the Middle East, discussed with Bourita "shared priorities in the bilateral relationship and efforts to advance regional stability."

Blinken and Bourita also discussed his recent travel and engagements with Egyptian, Israeli, and Palestinian leaders, during which he called for de-escalation and an end to the cycle of violence.

The Secretary commended the Foreign Minister for Morocco's commitment to promoting peace and security in the region, including Morocco's participation in the Negev Forum.

Earlier, the US commended Morocco's role, under King Mohammed VI, Chairman of the al-Quds Committee, in supporting the Palestinian people and advancing a two-state solution and peace in the Middle East region.

Price indicated, during a press conference at the Washington Foreign Press Center, that Morocco has a unique relationship with the Palestinians.

"We appreciate Morocco's role in providing aid and assistance to the Palestinian people and to supporting a two-state solution, something that, of course, is at the center of all of our efforts in the region as well," asserted Price.

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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)
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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.”