UN envoy warns against sending refugees back to Syria too soon

By Thomas Escritt

The U.N. special envoy for Syria said on Tuesday European nations should not rush to repatriate refugees to the country following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government, and he urged foreign players, including Israel, not to intervene militarily.

Syria remained in disorder three days after Assad's overthrow, with conflict continuing in the northeast and Israel bombing targets and expanding its buffer zone inside the country.

"The situation in Syria is still fluid," Geir Pedersen told a news conference at the United Nations' Geneva headquarters.

While many Syrians were eager to return home, "there are livelihood challenges still. The humanitarian situation is disastrous. The economy has collapsed."

News of Assad's fall prompted politicians in several European countries to call for a pause to the processing of asylum applications or even for the repatriation of refugees from 13 years of conflict.

"(Going back) is something many, many Syrians are hoping for, but let's makes sure the international community is helping them in this process," he said.

Israel's campaign of bombarding military installations in Syria - something it says is essential to its security - "needs to stop", Pedersen said.

"It is extremely important that we don't see any action from any international actor that destroys the possibility for this transformation in Syria to take place," he told reporters.

Syria's transitional arrangements also needed to be as inclusive as possible, involving the broadest possible spectrum of Syrian society, or risk further conflict erupting, he added.

To that end, the international community should be "realistic" about the terrorist designation of the HTS rebel group that toppled Assad.

"It is now nine years since that resolution (declaring HTS's predecessor a terrorist group) was adopted," he said. "The reality is so far that HTS and also the other armed groups have been sending good messages to the Syrian people ... of unity, of inclusiveness."