UAE Condemns Attacks on Embassy and Residence in Damascus Syria

The United Arab Emirates on Saturday condemned what it described as deliberate attacks on its embassy and diplomatic residence in the Syrian capital Damascus, calling the incidents an unacceptable violation of international law and demanding the immediate protection of its diplomatic personnel and property.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a strongly worded statement rejecting all acts of vandalism and violence directed at its missions abroad, affirming that diplomatic premises enjoy inviolable protections under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The ministry said it held the relevant Syrian authorities responsible for ensuring the safety of all foreign diplomatic missions on Syrian soil.

The attacks come at a particularly sensitive moment in the region. Syria has been undergoing a dramatic political transition following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's government in late 2024, with the new Damascus administration led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham-affiliated factions working to consolidate authority across the country. Amid this transition, diplomatic missions from several Arab states that had previously severed or downgraded ties with Syria under Assad have been cautiously re-engaging with Damascus.

The UAE had been among the Arab countries that moved to normalize relations with the Assad government in recent years, reopening its embassy in Damascus in 2018 as part of a broader Arab League push to reintegrate Syria. The current status of those relations under the new Syrian authorities has been a subject of ongoing diplomatic negotiations.

Gulf states have watched the Syrian transition with a mixture of cautious optimism and strategic concern. Qatar, which maintained consistent opposition to the Assad government throughout the civil war and provided support to various opposition factions, has taken a more measured approach to the new Damascus government, engaging in preliminary diplomatic contacts while closely monitoring the security situation on the ground.

The targeting of a Gulf Arab embassy carries significant regional implications. Arab foreign ministers have repeatedly emphasized the need for Syria's new leadership to guarantee the security of all diplomatic representations in the country as a prerequisite for normalized relations and economic engagement. Any failure to provide such security risks undermining the fragile diplomatic momentum that has been building between Gulf capitals and Damascus.

No group has immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks on the UAE embassy and residence. Syrian authorities had not issued a public statement at the time of reporting. The UAE said it was in contact with the Syrian foreign ministry and had summoned the Syrian diplomatic representative in Abu Dhabi to convey its formal protest. The ministry added that it reserved the right to take all appropriate measures to protect its citizens and diplomatic interests.