Since the Syrian civil war, the United Kingdom has supported the Syrian opposition.[1] The United Kingdom closed its embassy in Syria in 2011, and the Embassy of Syria, London was closed the following year.[2]
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History
editThis section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2021) |
1950s
editOn 6 November 1956, during the Suez Crisis, a Royal Air Force Canberra PR.7 was sent to overfly Syria on a photo reconnaissance mission, and was shot down by a Syrian Air Force Gloster Meteor. As of 2022, this was the last RAF aircraft shot down in an enemy air-to-air engagement.[4][5]
21st century
edit
In 2001, positive relations were developed between Prime Minister Tony Blair and the Syrian government, as part of the War on Terror.[6]
In 2002, President Bashar al-Assad made an official visit to the United Kingdom, the first Syrian leader to do so.[7] He and his wife Asma met with Queen Elizabeth II.[8]
In 2003, the British Syrian Society was established in London by Fawaz Akhras, father-in-law of Bashar al-Assad.[9]
Since the 2011 civil war, relations have deteriorated, and the UK was one of the first countries to recognise the opposition as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people.[1]
The Embassy of Syria in London closed in 2013.
In 2018, the UK took part in the missile strikes against Syria alongside the United States and France.[10]
In March 2021, the British Government placed sanctions on key allies of Assad.[11]
British prime minister Keir Starmer and foreign secretary David Lammy welcomed the fall of the al-Assad regime on 8 December 2024.[12][13]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b MacFarquhar, Neil; Mourtada, Hania (19 November 2012). "Britain Recognizes Syria Opposition Coalition". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
- ^ Black, Ian; McGreal, Chris (29 May 2012). "Syrian diplomats expelled from countries around the world". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
- ^ Rothwell, James (2021-03-08). "Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and his wife test positive for coronavirus". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
- ^ "Accident English Electric Canberra PR.7 WH799, 06 Nov 1956". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
- ^ Eason, Gary (2 August 2016). "The shooting down of Whisky Hotel 799". aerialcombat.co.uk. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
- ^ Blair visits Syria
- ^ Lauren Said-Moorhouse (2 June 2019). "From Assad to Xi, the Queen has met her fair share of controversial leaders". CNN. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
- ^ "Syrian president meets the Queen". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
- ^ Booth, Robert (2012-03-15). "Assad's father-in-law: the man at the heart of UK-Syrian relations". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
- ^ "U.S. says air strikes cripple Syria chemical weapons program". www.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
- ^ "UK imposes sanctions on key Assad allies after 'decade of brutality'". The Independent. 2021-03-15. Archived from the original on 2022-05-26. Retrieved 2021-04-22.
- ^ https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-statement-on-syria
- ^ https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/syria-foreign-secretarys-statement-09-december-2024