Syria’s main international airport in Damascus will reopen next week, the new government said Saturday, as it tries to restore a sense of normalcy after the uprising that ousted President Bashar al-Assad.
The announcement came amid tensions along the border between Syria and Lebanon, where four Lebanese soldiers were wounded in clashes on Friday night. The Lebanese army said Syrian militants fired on Lebanese soldiers along the border.
Ahmad al-Shara, the new de facto leader of Syria, faces the challenge of imposing order in a country that is devastated by a 14-year civil war which divided it into several warring regions and encouraged a proliferation of armed groups.
Mr. al-Shara, who heads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Islamist group that led the surprise attack that ousted Mr. al-Assad, worked to create a moderate image, meeting with Western dignitaries and is trying to convince both Syrians and foreign governments that the country is on a stable path.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati spoke with Mr. al-Sharom on border violence, according to the Lebanese leader’s office. During the call Mr. al-Shara promised that “Syrian authorities are doing everything necessary to restore peace on the border and prevent this from happening again,” according to a statement from the office of Mr. Mikati.
The authorities in the countries bordering Syria were afraid that the overthrow of Mr. Assad to lead to chaos that could spill over.
In eastern Syria, Turkish-backed fighters continue to battle Kurdish forces, which have formed an autonomous region. At the same time, there are sporadic conflicts between the new regime and rebels still loyal to Mr. al-Assad.
On Saturday, forces linked to Syria’s new government searched for “remnants of Assadist militias” near the central city of Homs, state media agency SANA reported, after arresting two former officials overnight.
In an attempt to prevent potential attacks from Syrian territory, Israeli forces are bombed military facilities across the country and sent their troops into the once demilitarized buffer zone between the two sides. Jordan has also partially closed its land crossing with Syria.
Mr. al-Shara and his allies sought to dissolve the remaining militant groups under the umbrella of a unified armed force. Last week, they officially appointed a new acting defense minister to oversee the transition.
Here are other events in the region:
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Fighting in Gaza: Israel’s military said its troops were continuing a three-month ground operation in northern Gaza, where Gaza health officials say Israeli forces have surrounded an Indonesian hospital, one of the last in the area. The Israeli military says it has no immediate plans to evacuate the approximately 20 patients and medical staff at the compound. Israel has repeatedly raided hospitals since the start of the Gaza war, claiming that Hamas is using them as military bases. Hamas has denied the accusations.
