Security Concerns Abort German-Austrian Delegation's Syria Trip

The German and Austrian interior ministers canceled a planned visit to Syria due to a terrorist threat. Germany's Nancy Faeser and Austria's Gerhard Karner intended to visit Damascus for meetings, but security warnings prompted the trip's cancellation. Germany has been a key destination for Syrian refugees.

Planned visits to Syria by the German and Austrian interior ministers were abruptly canceled following credible security threats, German authorities revealed Thursday. The thwarted diplomatic mission aimed at fostering dialogue and engaging with Syrian and international agencies was scrapped due to terrorism concerns.

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, alongside Austrian counterpart Gerhard Karner, was set to land in Damascus from Jordan. However, German security agencies issued concrete warnings of a potential terrorist threat, leading to the trip's cancellation. The decision underscored the principled stance against proceeding under risky circumstances.

The unpublicized trip was geared towards engagements with interim Syrian government officials and UN aid organizations. In a related development, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock recently visited Damascus to reopen the German Embassy, marking Germany's sustained involvement in Syrian political dynamics.

(With inputs from agencies.)