Dutch ministers visit Syria to discuss refugee returns (opens in new tab)

Foreign affairs minister Tom Berendsen and asylum minister Bart van den Brink have travelled to Damascus to meet Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa, the former jihadist rebel leader who became the country’s ruler after the fall of Bashar al-Assad. It was the most senior diplomatic visit to Syria since the Assad regime collapsed in late 2024. The two governments agreed to set up a joint committee of officials to work on reconstruction, economic development and the return of Syrians from the...