Syria's Ahmed al-Sharaa tells UNGA that Syria is ‘rising’ after Assad's fall

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa addresses the United Nations General Assembly, saying Syria has moved from crisis towards reconstruction and describing the country as “rising” following the fall of the Assad regime. Al-Sharaa outlines his government's efforts to restore state institutions, control weapons, combat drug trafficking and organised crime, pursue transitional justice and rebuild the country's economy. He also highlights the return of refugees and internally displaced people, the restoration of schools and universities, and Syria's renewed diplomatic engagement. The Syrian president calls for respect for Syria's sovereignty and says the Golan Heights remain Syrian territory. He accuses Israel of carrying out hundreds of air strikes and incursions in Syria and calls for the withdrawal of Israeli forces to the lines of December 8, 2024, while reaffirming Syria's commitment to the 1974 agreement. Al-Sharaa also discusses cooperation with international organisations including th