The end of the Assad family’s half-century rule has raised fears of further instability in the Middle East, a region already grappling with the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon

Top diplomats from the United States, the Arab League, and Turkey met in the Jordanian port city of Aqaba on Saturday (December 14) to discuss how to support Syria’s transition following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government.

The meeting, attended by 12 foreign ministers and senior officials, did not include any Syrian representatives.

Discussions centered on what priorities a new leadership in Syria should adopt, including inclusivity, minority rights, and the destruction of Assad-era chemical weapons stockpiles.