ABU DHABI,— The United Arab Emirates on Saturday condemned what it described as “riots, vandalism” and assaults outside its embassy and the residence of its head of mission in Damascus.

In a statement, the UAE foreign ministry urged Syrian authorities to meet their obligations to protect diplomatic premises and staff, investigate the incident and hold those responsible accountable.

Dozens of protesters gathered outside the UAE embassy around midday Friday, with some chanting “the Zionist embassy.”

A Syrian security official told Reuters the incident began when a group broke away from a larger pro-Palestinian protest at nearby Umayyad Square and attempted to storm the embassy compound.

Internal security forces stopped the group and brought the situation under control, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.

Syria’s foreign ministry did not directly mention the incident but said later Friday it maintained a firm stance against any attack on or approach toward embassies and diplomatic missions.

Protests have taken place across Syria after Israel’s parliament approved a law setting death by hanging as the standard penalty for Palestinians convicted in military courts of deadly attacks.

The UAE established formal ties with Israel under the 2020 Abraham Accords, though relations have faced strain following Israel’s shift toward a hardline political direction.

(With files from Reuters)

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