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Syria latest: UK in 'diplomatic contact' with rebel group; Turkey offers Syria military support

The UK government has confirmed it has been in contact with the rebel group that ousted the Assad regime. Meanwhile, Turkey's defence minister says Ankara is ready to offer military training to Syria if the country's new administration asks for it.

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Syria: Inside the fall of Assad
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That's all our live coverage for now - but we'll be back tomorrow with all the latest updates. 

Before we go, here's a quick reminder of what's happened today: 

UK in 'diplomatic contact' with Syrian rebels

The UK government has been in "diplomatic contact" with the Syrian rebel group that ousted the Assad regime, Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said. 

He made the comment as he announced that the UK will provide 拢50m in international aid to help Syrians in their "hour of need". 

Asked if the government had been in contact with the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Mr Lammy said: "HTS remains a proscribed organisation, but we can have diplomatic contact and so we do have diplomatic contact, as you would expect." 

He added that the UK wants to see a "representative government, an inclusive government" running the country.

Syria condemns Israeli action

Syria's de facto leader has said Israel has "crossed the lines of engagement" with its military actions inside the country following the toppling of the Assad regime.

The Israeli military moved its troops into a demilitarised zone inside Syria this week, claiming it was doing so to ensure border security for its citizens living in the occupied Golan Heights area.

Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS) leader Ahmad al Sharaa said that Israel's arguments "have become weak and no longer justify their recent violations".

Normal life resumes for millions

Seven days after the Assad regime fell, Syrian civilians have returned to their daily lives.

Sunday is the first day of the working week in the country, and schools were once again filled with students after authorities allowed them to open again.

The streets were also filled with churchgoers, with people attending Sunday mass this morning.

International actors offer support

As Syria looks to rebuild its economy and civilian infrastructure following years of war, its allies are continuing to offer support.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr ZelenAG百家乐在线官网y says he has instructed his government to set up supply mechanisms to help deliver food to Syria.

Turkey meanwhile says it's ready to offer military training for Syria's fighters if the new administration requests it.

Diplomats came together this weekend in Jordan to discuss how to ensure an inclusive, diplomatic transition of power in Syria.

In other news from the last 24 hours:

  • The UN's special envoy for Syria has called for a quick end to Western sanctions;
  • Germany's foreign minister says anyone involved in atrocities for the ousted Syrian government that try to seek refuge in the country will face "the full force of the law";
  • More than 7,600 Syrians crossed the Turkish border to return home in the five days after the fall of the Assad regime, Turkey's interior minister has revealed;
  • The Halo Trust has called for a global effort to remove explosive ordnance from Syria. 

You can also read more full and detailed analysis on some key stories in Syria from our correspondents: 

Netanyahu and Trump discuss Syria developments

Israel's prime minister has said he has spoken to Donald Trump about the developments in Syria. 

Benjamin Netanyahu said he spoke to the incoming US president last night, where they also discussed the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hamas in Gaza. 

"We have no interest in a conflict with Syria," Mr Netanyahu said in a statement.

Israeli actions in Syria were intended to "thwart the potential threats from Syria and to prevent the takeover of terrorist elements near our border," he added. 

Israel has moved into a demilitarised zone inside Syria created after the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. 

It has also carried out hundreds of strikes on Syria's strategic weapons stockpiles.

Several Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Jordan, condemned what they called Israel's seizure of a buffer zone in the Golan Heights. 

UK in 'diplomatic contact' with rebel group, says Lammy

The UK has been in "diplomatic contact" with the rebel group in Syria that ousted Bashar al Assad, Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said. 

He made the comment as he announced that the UK will provide 拢50m in international aid to help Syrians in their "hour of need". 

Asked if the government had been in contact with the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Mr Lammy said: "HTS remains a proscribed organisation, but we can have diplomatic contact and so we do have diplomatic contact, as you would expect." 

He added that the UK wants to see a "representative government, an inclusive government" running the country.

"We want to see chemical weapons stockpiles secured and not used. And we want to ensure that there is not continuing violence," he said.

"And so for all of those reasons, using all the channels that we have available and those of diplomatic and, of course, intelligence led channels, we seek to deal with HTS where we have to."

HTS is a former affiliate of al Qaeda, known then as the Nusra Front. 

Its founder, Ahmad al Sharaa, previously known as Abu Mohammed al Jolani, broke away from al Qaeda in 2016 to appear more moderate. 

The UK, US, Russia, and Turkey all classify it as a terrorist group.

UK announces 拢50m support package for Syria

The UK says it will provide 拢50m in international aid to help vulnerable Syrians "in their hour of need".

David Lammy announced the emergency aid whilst urging the transitional government in Syria to protect human rights, destroy chemical weapons stockpiles and combat terrorism.

A statement said the funding will enable "an urgent scale-up of humanitarian assistance when needs are at their highest" and will support the delivery of essential public services in the country.

Of the aid package, 拢30m will help provide immediate help to more than a million people, including access to food, shelter and emergency healthcare.

The remaining money will be split to help Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan. The UK says this will reduce the likelihood of vulnerable Syrians having to make perilous journeys to leave Syria and the region.

"The fall of the horrific Assad Regime provides a once-in-a-generation chance for the people of Syria," the foreign secretary says. 

"We're committed to supporting the Syrian people as they chart a new course."

As well as providing humanitarian aid for Syrians, the UK is also committing 拢120,000 that will be made available to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).   

The UK says this will help the Syrian government fulfil its commitment to protect chemical weapons sites and stop weapons falling into the wrong hands.

Mother of missing journalist describes moment people thought her son had been found

The mother of missing American journalist Austin Tice has described the moment people believed her son had been found in Syria. 

Debra Tice told our US partner network NBC News that it was like a "rehearsal" of the moment Austin will be found walking free. 

Mr Tice has been missing since 2012 after he was detained in Syria while covering the civil war 

Shortly after his disappearance, the US State Department concluded that he was being held by the hostile Syrian government, something that ousted Syrian leader Bashar al Assad denied for years.

On Wednesday, another missing American, Travis Timmerman, was found in Damascus. 

Initial reports suggested he could have been Mr Tice, but Mrs Tice said she knew instantly that it wasn't her son. 

"My oldest daughter came into my room at 4:25, and said, 'Mum, you know, we have this video. You need to look at it. We don't think it's Austin, but a lot of people think it's Austin, so we want you to look and see if it's Austin,'" she recalled.

"I took a glance and I said, 'No, that is not Austin.'"

She described the number of people who reached out to the Tice family that day with congratulatory messages, believing that Timmerman was her son.

"It's almost like having a rehearsal, you know? Just an inkling of what it's going to really feel like when it is Austin walking free," she added. 

Why are the Syrian rebels using a new flag?

A week ago, the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) swept through Syria, taking the capital city and eventually overthrowing nearly six decades of the Assad family's oppressive rule. 

As the rebels celebrated their victory, they raised a new flag to represent the start of a new rule.

What did the 'old' flag look like? 

The flag of the Syrian Arab Republic led by Bashar al Assad of the Ba'ath Party is split into three horizontal bands. 

Red represents the bloodshed in the Syrian revolution, white is for peace and black symbolises the oppression of Arabs.

The green stars in the middle represent Syria and Egypt - the two founding states of the United Arab Republic.

This was a short-lived state comprising Egypt and Syria starting in 1958. But it ended in 1961 when a coup by the army reinstated Syria as an independent country. 

How is the 'new' flag different? 

Opposition groups chose a flag to distinguish themselves from the Assad government and its military state.

The design revives the so-called "independence" flag, which was flown during Syria's struggle for independence from France.

The red band has been replaced with green. 

Instead of two stars, there are three, which represent the three main districts of Syria: Aleppo, Damascus and Deir el-Zor.

Syria sanctions relief premature for now, top EU official says

The EU will not lift sanctions on Syria before its new rulers ensure minorities are not persecuted and women's rights are protected, one of the bloc's top diplomats has said.

The Syrian government has been under strict sanctions by the US, EU and others for years in order to limit the resources the previous Assad regime could call upon to commit violence against civilians.

The EU's new foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said sanctions wouldn't be lifted until the new government could walk the walk.

"One of the questions is whether we are able to, in the future, look at the adaptation of the sanctions regime," she said.

"But this clearly is not the question of today, but rather in the future, where we have seen that the steps go in the right direction."

Syria's new interim leaders had made "positive signals" but these were not enough, she added. 

"They are judged by the deeds, not only the words. So the coming weeks and months will show whether their deeds are going in the right direction," Kallas said. 

"What everybody is looking at is, of course, the treatment of women and girls also, which shows the society and how it goes, how the institutions are built up, so that there is a government that takes on board everybody."

Ms Kallas added that there must be accountability for the crimes committed by the previous regime in Syria.

"Without accountability there is no justice, and without justice it's also very hard to build the country," she said. 

French diplomats to travel to Syria

France will send a team of diplomats to Syria on Tuesday to assess the political and security situation within the country, the country's foreign ministry has announced.

"A team of French diplomats will travel to Syria this Tuesday to mark France's willingness to support the Syrian people," the ministry said.

Foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot added the mission would be "establishing initial contact" with the new authorities and "evaluating the urgent needs of the population".

Since cutting ties with Bashar al Assad in 2012, France has not sought to normalise ties with Syria's government and has backed a broadly secular exiled opposition and Kurdish forces in northeastern Syria.

Israeli government approves plan to expand Golan Heights settlements

Israel's government has approved a plan to expand its settlements inside the occupied Golan Heights.

The area is a disputed strip of land between Israel and Syria where Israeli troops have been moved into a buffer zone following the ousting of the Assad regime in Syria.

Israel says its actions are "in light of the war and the new front facing Syria", as well as a desire to double the Israeli population on the Golan.

"Strengthening the Golan is strengthening the State of Israel, and it is especially important at this time," said Netanyahu.

"We will continue to hold onto it, cause it to blossom, and settle in it."

Israel sees increased threat from Syria despite 'moderate image' of rebels

Israel's defence minister says the developments in Syria over the last two weeks have increased the strength of the threat posed to Tel Aviv.

"The immediate risks to the country have not disappeared and the latest developments in Syria increase the strength of the threat," Israel Katz told officials.

He said this was despite "the moderate image that the rebel leaders claim to present".

Syria's de facto leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, says that Israel has "crossed the lines of engagement" after its troops entered a demilitarised zone on its border last week (see 7.41 post).

Israel says it has put troops there to ensure border security for its citizens living in the occupied Golan Heights area.

Several Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Jordan, have condemned the move.