Thousands of Syrians gather in a queue at the Turkish border, preparing to return to their homes in Syria.

KUWAIT CITY, Dec 9, (Agencies): Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is “monitoring, with great interest, the current developments in the sisterly state of Syria, stressing the necessity of maintaining the country’s unity.” In a statement issued Sunday, the ministry affirmed the need to respect Syria’s independence and sovereignty over its territories, ensure the protection of Syrians, and stop their people’s bloodshed. The Ministry also affirmed Kuwait’s supportive position to achieve Syria’s stability through preserving its national institutions and dialogue to meet the aspirations of the brotherly Syrian people, it noted. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia voiced on Sunday satisfaction over the positive steps taken to ensure Syrians’ safety, stop the bloodshed, and maintain the state’s institutions and possessions.

Affirming it is closely monitoring rapid developments, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it is standing side by side with the Syrian people and their choices in this “critical” phase in history. The ministry called for consolidating efforts to preserve the unity of the country and its people and protect them from descending into chaos and division. Saudi Arabia renewed support to all steps aiming to achieve Syria’s security and stability, underlining the necessity of maintaining the country’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. In addition, the Kingdom urged the international community to support Syrians and cooperate with them in a manner that serves Syria and meets the aspirations of its people without interfering in the country’s internal affairs, it noted. It is imperative to back Syria in this “sensitive” phase and help it overcome the crisis from which Syrians have been suffering, it said. It noted that the long-standing crisis resulted in hundreds of thousands of victims and millions of displaced and migrants, in addition to the impact of foreign militias, which had imposed agendas on Syrians. It concluded by stressing it was time to help Syrians have a dignified life, and contribute to building a prosperous, secure and stable future, as well as restore the country’s natural status in the Arab and Muslim nations.

In Damascus, Syria’s prime minister said Monday that most cabinet ministers are still working from offices in Damascus after rebels entered the capital over the weekend and overthrew President Bashar Assad. Streams of refugees crossed in from neighboring countries, hoping for a more peaceful future. But there were already signs of the difficulties ahead for the rebel alliance now in control of much of the country, which is led by a former senior al-Qaida militant who severed ties with the extremist group years ago and has promised representative government and religious tolerance. The rebel command said Monday they would not tell women how to dress. Israel said it is carrying out airstrikes on suspected chemical weapons sites and long-range rockets to keep them from falling into the hands of extremists. Israel has also seized a buffer zone inside Syria after Syrian troops withdrew. In northern Syria, Turkey said allied opposition forces seized the town of Manbij from Kurdish-led forces backed by the United States, a reminder that even after Assad’s departure to Russia the country remains split among armed groups that have fought in the past. The Kremlin said Russia has granted political asylum to Assad, a decision made by President Vladimir Putin. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Assad’s specific whereabouts and said Putin was not planning to meet with him. Damascus was quiet on Monday, with life slowly returning to normal while most shops and public institutions were closed. In public squares, some people were still celebrating. Civilian traffic resumed but there was no public transport. Long lines formed in front of bakeries and other food stores. There was little sign of any security presence, and Associated Press reporters saw a few SUVs on the side of a main boulevard that appeared to have been broken into.