UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on the international community to step up support for Syria during his first visit to Damascus as UN chief, while condemning Israeli military actions in southern Syria and reaffirming that the Golan Heights are Syrian territory under international law.

Guterres Calls for International Backing

Guterres arrived in Damascus on Saturday for a three-day visit, marking the first trip by a UN secretary-general to the Syrian capital since 2009 and his first since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad.

After meeting Syria's interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, Guterres urged the international community to increase its support for the Syrian people as the country continues to recover from more than a decade of war.

He described the visit as a mission of solidarity, saying the United Nations stands with Syria at a pivotal moment in its recovery.

Criticism of Israeli Military Actions

During a joint press conference with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, Guterres criticized Israel's military operations in southern Syria, saying repeated violations of Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity must end.

He reiterated the UN's position that the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights remain Syrian territory under international law, stressing that "what is Syrian is Syrian."

Al-Shibani also condemned Israeli operations, describing them as a direct threat to regional security and an obstacle to lasting peace.

Visits to Historic and Symbolic Sites

As part of his visit, Guterres toured Damascus' Old City and the Umayyad Mosque before visiting Saydnaya military prison, a site widely associated with abuses committed during the Assad era.

He is also scheduled to visit the UN peacekeeping mission stationed along the Syria-Israel border.

Syria Faces Long Recovery

Syria continues to rebuild after a conflict that began in 2011 and claimed nearly half a million lives while devastating much of the country's infrastructure.

Although the United States and European countries have eased many sanctions imposed during Assad's rule, economic recovery has remained slow. The United Nations estimates that around 90% of Syrians live in poverty, while the World Bank has projected reconstruction costs at approximately $216 billion.