What happened
Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Wednesday, 19 August 2026, strongly condemned what it called the “unprovoked” Israeli attack on Syria’s Abu al-Duhur airbase, saying such actions constituted a flagrant violation of international law and could further undermine regional peace and stability.
Syria’s state-run Ekhbariya television, citing a military source, said Israel carried out eight airstrikes on the runway and storage facilities at the base near Aleppo in north-west Syria on Tuesday. A separate military source and a civilian who lived near the base said there were no casualties.
Pakistan’s response
The Foreign Office expressed Pakistan’s “unwavering solidarity with the brotherly people of Syria” and reiterated full support for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, peace and prosperity. It called on the international community to play its role in ending repeated violations of international law by Israeli occupation forces and to hold them accountable for what it described as destabilising actions in the region.
At a press conference in Damascus with International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani called for an immediate end to the attacks, saying Israel had no security justification for them.
The Syrian foreign minister’s visit
The condemnation came as Shaibani prepared to begin a two-day official visit to Pakistan from 19 to 20 August at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Leading a high-level delegation, his trip marks the first visit by a Syrian foreign minister to Pakistan in nearly two decades, as Damascus seeks to rebuild diplomatic, economic and security ties after the fall of Bashar al-Assad.
The Foreign Office said the visit would involve in-depth discussions across the full spectrum of bilateral relations and a review of ways to enhance cooperation, with the two sides also exchanging views on regional and international developments.
Why it matters
The Abu al-Duhur base, about 70 km east of the Turkish border, has been out of service as a dedicated military airfield since 2013 and changed hands several times during Syria’s civil war. Israel has repeatedly struck Syrian forces since Assad was ousted in 2024. For Pakistan, the strike and the Syrian minister’s visit underline its effort to maintain regional diplomatic engagement while condemning military action it considers unlawful.
Sources & reporting notes
This is a summary of published reporting, not independent reporting. Details and quoted remarks are as carried by the cited sources, which were reviewed on 19 August 2026.
- Dawn — "Pakistan condemns 'unprovoked' Israeli attack on Syria air base"19 August 2026 · The Foreign Office statement, the reported airstrikes, Shaibani's remarks and his scheduled visit to Pakistan.
- The Express Tribune — "FO condemns Israeli strikes on Syria"19 August 2026 · Confirmation of the condemnation and the announcement of Shaibani's 19-20 August visit at the invitation of Ishaq Dar.
- Geo News — "Pakistan strongly condemns Israeli occupation forces' attack on Syrian airbase"19 August 2026 · Pakistan's call for international action and its expression of solidarity with Syria.
