Damascus rebuffs allegations, says terrorism file won’t be used for pressure

Damascus, Jan. 19 (SANA) The Syrian government said on Monday that it has followed a statement issued by the so-called “autonomous administration” on Jan. 17 and described it as containing “a series of falsehoods and accusations” aimed at misleading international public opinion and sowing confusion.

In a statement released today, the government said it “categorically rejects any attempt to use the terrorism file as political or security blackmail,” adding that warnings cited in the statement regarding prisons holding ISIS detainees amount to a political exploitation of terrorism and a form of pressure.

The statement said that insisting on linking law-enforcement actions and the restoration of state legitimacy to the risk of activating terrorist cells is an attempt to invert facts and inflame tensions “to preserve an authority imposed by force of arms.”

The government said its military and security institutions are fully prepared to carry out their duties in combating terrorism within international efforts to eradicate ISIS and other terrorist organizations. It pledged to secure all detention facilities in line with internationally recognized standards and to prevent the escape of ISIS detainees, citing responsibilities toward Syria’s national security, regional security and international peace and security.

In this context, Damascus warned the leadership of the SDF against “reckless steps,” including facilitating the escape of ISIS detainees or opening prisons as an act of retaliation or political pressure. Any security breach at these facilities would be the direct responsibility of the party currently controlling them, the statement said.

It added that the Syrian state would treat any such act as a war crime and as direct collusion with terrorism that threatens Syria and the wider region.

The government said its military operations are aimed exclusively at restoring security and stability, protecting civilians and preventing the return of terrorism in all its forms. It reaffirmed its commitment to international humanitarian law, the protection of vital infrastructure and guaranteeing the rights of all Syrians without discrimination.

The statement concluded that the restoration of state institutions and the rule of law across all Syrian territory is “the sole and final guarantee” to end the ISIS file decisively, close the displacement crisis and rebuild civil peace on the basis of justice, full national sovereignty and equal citizenship.

SANA