After Assad’s fall, Syrians and EU officials hold rare meeting in Damascus

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Representatives of Syria’s civil society held rare open discussions Saturday in Damascus in the presence of officials from the European Union and the transitional government. They touched on sensitive topics including sectarian tensions, ethnic divisions and people killed by different sides.

The EU-organized meetings known as “The Day of Dialogue” are the first to be held in Damascus after taking place in past years Brussels. Saturday’s meetings came nearly a year after the fall of the 54-year Assad family rule in Syria in a stunning offensive by insurgent groups in early December.