Syrias International Airport to Reopen as Government Presses for Stability
Syria’s main international airport in Damascus will reopen next week, the new government said on Saturday, as it tries to re-establish a sense of normalcy after the uprising that toppled President Bashar al-Assad.The announcement came amid tensions along the border between Syria and Lebanon, where four Lebanese solders were wounded in clashes on Friday night.The Lebanese military said that Syrian militants had fired at Lebanese soldiers along the border.Ahmad al-Shara, Syria’s new de facto leader, faces the challenge of imposing order on a country that has been devastated by 14 years of civil war that split it into multiple warring regions and spurred a proliferation of armed groups.Mr.
al-Shara, who leads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Islamist group that spearheaded the surprise attack that toppled Mr.al-Assad, has worked to project a moderate image, meeting with Western dignitaries and trying to assure both Syrians and foreign governments that the country is on a stable path.Prime Minister Najib Mikati of Lebanon spoke with Mr.
al-Shara to discuss the border violence, according to the Lebanese leader’s office.During the call, Mr.
al-Shara pledged that “the Syrian authorities are doing everything necessary to restore calm on the border and prevent the matter from recurring,” Mr.Mikati’s office said in a statement.The authorities in countries bordering Syria had feared that Mr.
Assad’s ouster would lead to chaos that could spill over.In eastern Syria, Turkish-backed fighters are continuing to fight Kurdish forces, which have carved out an autonomous region.At the same time, there have been scattered clashes between the new regime and holdouts still loyal to Mr.
al-Assad.On Saturday, forces affiliated with the new Syrian government were searching for “remnants of the Assadist militias” near the central city of Homs, the SANA state media agency reported, after arresting two former officials overnight.In an attempt to head off potential attacks from ...