ROME: Italy’s foreign minister said Sunday an “armed group” had entered the garden of the Italian ambassador in Damascus and stolen three cars, after militants said they had seized the city.
“This morning an armed group entered the garden of the residence of Italy’s ambassador... they took away three automobiles,” Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told journalists following a foreign ministry crisis meeting on the Syria situation.
“They were in the garden for a little while, obviously they wanted to check if there were soldiers of Assad there... but neither the ambassador or the (Italian) police who were at the residence were touched,” said Tajani.
He said the ambassador was “safe” and working remotely in a different location.
“The situation is completely under control in a complicated situation of great jubilation, but jubilation in Syria is manifested by shooting in the air, so still complicated,” said Tajani.
Early Sunday, militants announced they had entered Damascus after a lightning offensive against the forces of President Bashar Assad.
Armed group in Syria steals cars from Italy ambassador’s residence: foreign minister
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Armed group in Syria steals cars from Italy ambassador’s residence: foreign minister
- “Neither the ambassador or the (Italian) police who were at the residence were touched,” said Tajani
UN chief condemns Israeli law blocking electricity, water for UNRWA facilities
- The agency provides education, health and aid to millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres condemned on Wednesday a move by Israel to ban electricity or water to facilities owned by the UN Palestinian refugee agency, a UN spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said the move would “further impede” the agency’s ability to operate and carry out activities.
“The Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations remains applicable to UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East), its property and assets, and to its officials and other personnel. Property used by UNRWA is inviolable,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary-general, said while adding that UNRWA is an “integral” part of the world body.
UNRWA Commissioner General Phillipe Lazzarini also condemned the move, saying that it was part of an ongoing “ systematic campaign to discredit UNRWA and thereby obstruct” the role it plays in providing assistance to Palestinian refugees.
In 2024, the Israeli parliament passed a law banning the agency from operating in the country and prohibiting officials from having contact with the agency.
As a result, UNRWA operates in East Jerusalem, which the UN considers territory occupied by Israel. Israel considers all Jerusalem to be part of the country.
The agency provides education, health and aid to millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. It has long had tense relations with Israel but ties have deteriorated sharply since the start of the war in Gaza and Israel has called repeatedly for UNRWA to be disbanded, with its responsibilities transferred to other UN agencies.
The prohibition of basic utilities to the UN agency came as Israel also suspended of dozens of international non-governmental organizations working in Gaza due to a failure to meet new rules to vet those groups.
In a joint statement, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom said on Tuesday such a move would have a severe impact on the access of essential services, including health care. They said one in three health care facilities in Gaza would close if international NGO operations stopped.
