Intel: Oman ambassador returns to Syria
With much of Syria now under Syrian President Basher al-Assad's control, some Arab states are slowly considering the reopening of foreign missions in Damascus.
Oman reinstated its ambassador to Syria on Sunday following an eight-year hiatus. The move highlighted progress by some Arab states to slowly rebuild ties with Assad's regime.
Oman’s Ambassador Turki bin Mahmood al-Busaidy, appointed to the role in March, became the first representative from a Gulf Arab state to return to their post in Damascus.
On the verge of Syria’s civil war in 2012, Oman joined other Gulf Arab countries in withdrawing diplomats from the capital. However, while other countries shuttered their embassies, Oman kept theirs open through the years of conflict.
Why it matters: Oman’s late leader Sultan Qaboos conducted a noninterventional regional policy and continued to maintain ties with Syria after the 2011 uprising turned into a violent civil war. Qaboos reconciled the decision with the belief that his country’s role in the conflict would be to provide humanitarian support.
