UN chief meets Syrian civil society representatives in Damascus

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday said that he met with representatives of Syrian civil society during his visit to Damascus and witnessed a strong commitment to supporting the country's political transition.

"I met with representatives of civil society and witnessed a very strong commitment to contribute to a successful and meaningful political transition in Syria," Guterres wrote on US social media platform X alongside a photo of the meeting.

The meeting came during Guterres' visit to Damascus, where he held talks with Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa and Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani.

He also visited key sites, including Sednaya Prison, associated with abuses under the Bashar al-Assad era, as well as the Umayyad Mosque.

The visit marks the first by a UN secretary-general to Syria since 2009 and comes as the country seeks to rebuild its institutions and advance a political transition following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2025.