The Syrian Minister of Defense meets with a delegation from the United Nations peacekeeping forces.

The Syrian Minister of Defense in the caretaker government, Major General Marhaf Abu Qasra, met on Thursday, 20/02/2025, with a delegation from the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force responsible for monitoring the implementation of the disengagement agreement between Syria and Israeli occupation in the occupied Golan Heights.

The Syrian Ministry of Defense announced that the meeting discussed the latest field developments in the region and the coordination frameworks between the parties to ensure the implementation of disengagement tasks and maintaining stability in the area.

The Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Asaad al-Shaaban, and the Syrian Minister of Defense, Major General Marhaf Abu Qasra, also met with a delegation from the United Nations led by Ambassador Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations at the United Nations, and Major General Patrick Goughat, Acting Head of Mission and Commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force.

During the meeting, Syria reaffirmed its full cooperation readiness with the United Nations and the coverage of its positions on the borders in accordance with the mandate issued in 1974, provided that Israeli forces immediately withdraw from Syrian territories.

For its part, the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force reaffirmed its full commitment to resolving issues related to the Syrian-Israeli borders and expressed its full readiness to support mine clearance efforts and ensure service quality in the area. It emphasized the importance of coordination between relevant authorities and organizations to remove explosives and war remnants to enhance Syria's security and stability.

This meeting comes amid Israeli escalation on the Syrian borders and its violation of the disengagement agreement, as Israeli forces penetrated the demilitarized Syrian area and Mount Hermon, in addition to launching several attacks on Syrian infrastructure and military sites.