SYRIA: UAE to reopen Damascus embassy after seven years

The United Arab Emirates is set to reopen its embassy in Damascus – which has been closed for seven years – on Thursday, according to officials. The UAE recalled its ambassador from Syria in 2011 after the start of a popular uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, which escalated into a brutal civil war that has […]

The United Arab Emirates is set to reopen its embassy in Damascus – which has been closed for seven years – on Thursday, according to officials.

The UAE recalled its ambassador from Syria in 2011 after the start of a popular uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, which escalated into a brutal civil war that has now killed more than 360,000 people.  The move – which follows a visit to Damascus by Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in December – is seen as another step in efforts by Arab countries to bring the Assad government back into the fold after years of diplomatic isolation.