France flies flag at Damascus embassy for first time in decade as Syria rebels build contacts with West

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “He also spoke about Britain’s important role internationally.” open image in gallery The French national flag is raised at the French embassy in Damascus Assad’s fall, a blow to Syria’s longstanding Russian and Iranian allies, could potentially open the way for Western states to reopen contacts with Damascus. In an interview with Al Jazeera Mubasher, Syria’s new prime minister Mohammed al-Bashir said the defence ministry would be restructured using former rebel factions and officers who defected from Assad’s army. open image in gallery HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa addresses a crowd at Damascus's landmark Umayyad Mosque on 8 December “Syria is for all Syrians,” he said. UN humanitarian coordinator Tom Fletcher said he had also met Sharaa, posting on social media: “We have basis for ambitious scaling up of vital humanitarian support.” The Syrian civil war which spiralled out of a 2011 uprising against Assad’s repressive rule, drove millions of Syrians abroad as refugees, including around a million who went to Germany.