Syria: UN Security Council Briefings and May 2026 Forecast

United Nations officials and diplomats provided a comprehensive briefing to the Security Council on April 22, 2026, detailing a precarious transition period for Syria characterized by the withdrawal of foreign military forces and a deepening humanitarian crisis.

The session featured reports from Claudio Cordone, Deputy Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria; Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator; and Vanessa Frazier, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict.

U.S. Military Withdrawal and State Reintegration

A central development in the current political landscape is the departure of United States forces from Syrian territory. According to a statement by the Syrian Foreign Ministry on April 16, 2026, the withdrawal of U.S. Troops from Syrian soil has been completed.

Vassily Nebenzya, the Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations, noted during the briefing that the Syrian government has recently established control over several military facilities in the northeast that were previously occupied by the U.S. Military.

Nebenzya reported that the Syrian government is working toward the reintegration of areas beyond the Euphrates River. He stated that regular dialogue is ongoing between Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) regarding the transfer of control over prisons in the northeast to the Syrian Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Justice, as well as the integration of Kurdish units into Syrian security forces.

These developments follow agreements reached in January 2026 between the central authorities in Damascus and the SDF, which Russian officials indicated are being smoothly implemented.

Regional Instability and Humanitarian Risks

The briefing highlighted how regional volatility is impacting Syria’s domestic stability. Nebenzya attributed significant regional tension to what he described as unprovoked US-Israeli aggression against Iran, asserting that the resulting conflagration has affected Syrian territory and its people.

The Russian representative warned that Syria faces severe financial strain due to the mass return of refugees. He noted that hundreds of thousands of people have fled Lebanon following actions by the Israeli army against civilians, placing additional pressure on Syria’s limited resources.

Further risks were identified regarding Syria’s energy security. The briefing indicated that fuel shortages are likely, which may hinder the Syrian government’s efforts to attract Arab investors for post-conflict reconstruction projects.

Internal Security and Minority Rights

Despite the shift toward state consolidation, internal security remains a concern. UN officials emphasized the need for Damascus to continue efforts to counter terrorism and combat foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs).

The Security Council also addressed reports of ethno-confessional violence. Nebenzya expressed alarm over reports that armed gangs assaulted Orthodox Christians in the town of Skalbiya in Hama province in late March 2026.

The Russian mission urged the Syrian government to take decisive measures to prevent such relapses into sectarian violence, stressing that the vulnerability of minorities could be exploited by external actors to justify interference in Syrian statehood.

The briefing concluded with a call for an inclusive intra-Syrian dialogue to advance a comprehensive political settlement, adhering to the principles established in UN Resolution 2254.