UN chief says situation in Syria's Golan area 'unacceptable'
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, left, attends a joint press conference with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, in Damascus, Syria, Saturday, July 25, 2026. (AP Photo)
U.N. chief Antonio Guterres said the situation around Syria's Golan Heights was unacceptable, as Syria's foreign minister urged Israeli forces to withdraw from a U.N.-patrolled buffer zone where they deployed in 2024.
"What is happening in the region around the Golan Heights is totally unacceptable," Guterres told a press conference alongside Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, who called for an "immediate and unconditional Israeli withdrawal" from the area where they had advanced.
Guterres arrived in Syria on July 25 for the first visit by a serving U.N. chief since 2009, with talks expected to focus on the country’s political transition following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad.
