Foreign countries work to build ties with Syria’s new rulers a week after Assad fled

Foreign countries stepped up efforts to establish contacts with Syria’s interim rulers, a week after Islamist-led rebels sent president Bashar al-Assad fleeing to Moscow, ending decades of brutal rule.

The United Nations special envoy for Syria was among those arriving in the Syrian capital, where he pressed for “justice and accountability for crimes”.

“And we need to make sure that that goes through a credible justice system, and that we don’t see any revenge,” Geir Pedersen said.

He later met rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the rebels’ Telegram channel said on Sunday.

A Qatari delegation also landed in Syria to meet transitional government officials.

They reaffirmed the Gulf emirate’s “full commitment to supporting the Syrian people… following the success of their revolution,” Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman told the emirate’s official news agency.