Terror threat halts German Interior Minister Syria trip

Shafaq News / German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser canceled her planned visit to Syria on Thursday following security warnings of a potential terrorist threat targeting both the German and Austrian delegations, German media reported, citing an Interior Ministry spokesperson.

Faeser was set to travel with Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner, with the delegation scheduled to depart from Jordan for Damascus. The visit, which had been planned under strict security measures, had not been officially announced.

The trip aimed to include meetings with two ministers from Syria’s transitional government and representatives from UN humanitarian organizations to discuss security challenges and the repatriation of Syrian refugees.

On March 20, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock visited Damascus and announced an additional €300 million ($326 million) in aid to Syria during the ninth Brussels Conference. The German Embassy was also reopened.