Jordan to host top diplomats for talks on Syria on Saturday

Jordan said on Thursday it would host talks for top diplomats to discuss developments in neighbouring Syria after Bashar al-Assad’s toppling.

Foreign ministers of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain and the Arab League chief will meet on Saturday in the Red Sea city of Aqaba, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry said.

The Arab ministers will also hold meetings with their Turkish and US counterparts as well as the European Union foreign policy chief and the UN envoy for Syria, the ministry added in a statement.

The meetings will discuss “ways of backing an inclusive political process led by the Syrians to achieve a transitional process,” according to the statement.

Earlier on Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Jordan and met with King Abdullah II.

Last week, Islamist-led rebels in Syria advanced on the capital Damascus and forced al-Assad, who ruled for more than two decades, to flee the country.

Their capture of Damascus came after making major territorial gains in a lightning offensive in the war-shattered country.