ISTANBUL

Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Shaibani announced Friday he plans visits this week to Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Jordan in his second trip abroad since taking the post in the Syrian interim government following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime last month.

"We look forward that these visits contribute to support the stability and security, the economic recovery and build distinguished partnerships," he wrote on X.

al-Shaibani, however, did not set a date for his Arab tour.

On Wednesday, al-Shaibani has his first visit abroad to Saudi Arabia upon an invitation from his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan.

Assad, Syria's leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party's regime, which had been in power since 1963.

The takeover came after Hayat Tahrir al-Sham fighters captured key cities in a lightning offensive that lasted less than two weeks.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar