Thousands of Syrians have protested against the Arab League’s move to sanction President Bashar al-Assad’s regime over its repression of dissent.
In the wake of Syria’s suspension from the Arab League, Jordan’s king has become the first Arab leader to call on President al-Assad to step down.
Syria called for an unrestricted dialogue with Washington on Monday as a senior United States official made the highest-level visit to Damascus in two years for talks limited to the Iraqi refugee crisis. Ellen Sauerbrey, Assistant Secretary of State for Refugees and Migration, discussed the plight of the refugees, who now number about two million among Iraq’s neighbours.