Political solution urged to restore stability in Syria

China, the United Nations and the Arab League have called for efforts to peacefully resolve the situation in Syria, with due respect for the aspirations of the Syrian people, as the Middle Eastern country grapples with uncertainty on multiple fronts, including national security, following the departure and reported resignation of its president.

China hopes that relevant parties will bear in mind the fundamental interest of the Syrian people and find as soon as possible a political settlement that will restore stability in Syria, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Monday.

The future of Syria should be decided by the Syrian people, and the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity should be respected, Mao said, adding that China is paying close attention to the development of the situation in Syria.

Bashar al-Assad, who left the Syrian presidential palace after opposition forces stormed Damascus early Sunday, is currently in Moscow, according to Russian state media reports.

Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali said on Monday that most Cabinet ministers are still working from offices in the capital. Hundreds of Syrians have, meanwhile, returned home from neighboring countries.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin made the decision to grant Assad asylum. Peskov also said that it was premature to talk about the future of Russia's military facilities in Syria, adding that it would be "a subject for discussion with those who will be in power in Syria".

At Russia's request, the UN Security Council plans to hold an emergency closed-door meeting on Syria late Monday.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Sunday that the future of Syria is a matter for the Syrians to determine and his special envoy, Geir Pedersen, "will be working with them toward that end".

"There is much work to be done to ensure an orderly political transition to renewed institutions. I reiterate my call for calm and avoiding violence at this sensitive time, while protecting the rights of all Syrians," Guterres said in a statement.

"We remain committed to helping Syrians build a country where reconciliation, justice, freedom, and prosperity are shared realities for all," he posted on social media platform X.

Syria has been in turmoil for years after demonstrations that broke out in 2011 snowballed into a full-scale civil war.

The Arab League restored Syria's membership in May last year, ending 12 years of suspension and isolation.

The general secretariat of the Arab League issued a statement on Sunday, calling on all Syrians to uphold tolerance, engage in dialogue, safeguard people's rights, and work toward completing a peaceful and secure political transition.

It also reiterated its unequivocal condemnation of Israel's exploitation of the internal situation in Syria to illegally change the status quo in the Golan Heights, by either occupying additional land there or terminating the 1974 UN-monitored Disengagement Agreement.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Monday that the nation will work for the safe and voluntary return of Syrian migrants it hosts, and will help in the reconstruction of Syria.

Hussein Maklad, professor of international relations at Damascus University, told China Daily that Syria is at a crossroads, and this is an opportunity for the country to form a government that represents its ethnically and religiously diverse population, foster economic recovery, and allow refugees and internally displaced people to return home.

"A power vacuum in Syria could lead to regional instability" and risk turning Syria into a field for regional contest for hegemony, "potentially creating more chaos if not appropriately managed", Maklad added.

Meanwhile, Israeli tanks advanced on Monday into the southwestern Syrian city of Quneitra near the occupied Golan Heights, reaching the governorate building as drones circled overhead, a Syrian source told Xinhua News Agency.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar claimed at a news briefing that "Syrian militants" had crossed into the buffer zone over the weekend, violating the disengagement agreement between the two countries.

"In response, and given the threat to our communities in the Golan Heights, the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) carried out a targeted and temporary operation to take control of areas near the border," he added.

Wang Qingyun contributed to this story.