New york: Trkiye's UN envoy on Wednesday highlighted Syria's "significant progress" since the ouster of the Assad regime last December, urging the complete restoration of the country's sovereignty and continued support for lifting sanctions.

According to Anadolu Agency, UN envoy Ahmet Yildiz stated at a Security Council session on Syria that the Syrian government has made progress despite facing numerous challenges. He emphasized that engagement with the international community is progressing steadily and constructively.

Yildiz noted advancements in Syria's political process, citing recent elections to the People's Assembly as evidence of the government's commitment to an inclusive national dialogue. He expressed optimism that normalization in Syria will accelerate once all natural resources are managed by the Syrian government for the benefit of all Syrians, underscoring the need to lift remaining sanctions.

Expressing concern over the actions of the terrorist organization SDF, Yildiz highlighted dissatisfaction among local communities with the SDF's practices. He stressed the importance of the Syrian government regaining control over northeastern provinces and managing camps and detention centers to facilitate repatriation.

Yildiz also called for Israel to withdraw from occupied areas, emphasizing the need to respect Syria's sovereignty and the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement, as well as the territorial integrity of all countries in the region.

The Syrian government has been intensifying security efforts following last year's ouster of Bashar al-Assad, who fled to Russia in December after nearly 25 years in power. The Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963, was replaced by a transitional administration led by President Ahmad Al-Sharaa in January.

Since then, Israel has launched strikes on multiple military sites in Syria and expanded its occupation of the Golan Heights by seizing the demilitarized buffer zone.