Syria's interim Foreign Minister. Photo: AFP
In an official statement, the ministry said the behaviours seen in the video do not reflect Syria’s long-standing respect for Egypt, its people, and its leadership, but only those who took part in the incident.
The ministry expressed regret that some parties were trying to exploit the incident to damage the close historical ties between Syria and Egypt.
Damascus praised Egypt’s leadership and people for hosting hundreds of thousands of Syrians for many years, describing this as a testament to the strong bonds between the two nations and reaffirming its appreciation for Egypt’s role in this regard.
The ministry also stressed that such attempts would not succeed in harming Syrian-Egyptian relations or the wider bonds of Arab unity “no matter how much the instigators try."
The statement came in response to a short video, first posted on Facebook, showing a handful of people in Damascus chanting anti-Egypt slogans during a Gaza solidarity event.
The clip quickly spread across social media, sparking angry reactions from Egyptian users.
Egyptian television hosts and commentators also reacted, with some calling for the deportation of Syrians living in Egypt.
The backlash escalated under hashtags linking Syria and Egypt, with accounts sharing the video as an insult to Cairo’s role in the region.
Syrian state media acknowledged the video late on Monday, stressing it involved only “a limited number” of people.
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