NNA - The European Union called Monday for a peaceful political transition in war-torn Syria after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad by Islamist-led rebels.

"Now more than ever, it is imperative that all stakeholders engage in an inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned dialogue on all key issues to ensure an orderly, peaceful and inclusive transition," the 27-nation bloc said in a statement.

The EU said it was "critical to preserve the territorial integrity of Syria and to respect its independence, its sovereignty, as well as state institutions, and to reject all forms of extremism".

"We urge all actors to avoid any further violence, to ensure the protection of civilians, and to uphold international law, including international humanitarian law," the statement said.

It called for the "protection of members of all minorities, including of Christian and other non-majority confessions, as well as the safety of foreign nationals and respect of diplomatic representations in Damascus".

A lightning offensive spearheaded by Islamist rebels ousted Assad from power on Sunday, opening a new chapter in Syria's history after five decades of rule by his clan.

The end of Assad's rule follows a 13-year-old civil war sparked by a brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests.

The war killed more than 500,000 people and forced half the pre-war population to flee their homes, many millions of them abroad.

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen held talks with Jordan's King Abdullah II about the situation on Monday and said she would talk to other regional leaders in the coming days.--AFP

===============R.H.