Washington Calls on Damascus to "Stop the Massacres" in Southern Syria and Accountability

SadaNews - U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the United States has been intensively engaged over the past three days with both Israel and Jordan, as well as the authorities in Damascus, regarding the "horrific and dangerous developments" in southern Syria.

Rubio added in a statement that the Syrian authorities must immediately stop the "acts of rape and the killing of innocent people that have occurred and continue to occur," warning that the continuation of these violations undermines any chance for a unified and peaceful future for Syria.

He emphasized that "if Damascus is serious about maintaining any hope of building a Syria free from ISIS and Iranian influence, it must take urgent action to stop this disaster and use its security forces to prevent ISIS and extremist jihadist groups from entering the region and committing further massacres."

He also called for the "accountability of anyone proven to be involved in committing atrocities, including those who belong to the regime itself," stressing that impunity is no longer acceptable.

The U.S. Secretary of State concluded by calling for an "immediate cessation of fighting between the Druze and Bedouin groups in southern Syria," pointing to the necessity of protecting civilians and preventing further escalation.