Prosecutor Karim Khan held discussions on Friday with Syrian authorities on how the war crimes tribunal could help in their efforts to prosecute crimes allegedly committed in the country, his office said.

The International Criminal Court’s (ICC’s) chief prosecutor has made an unannounced visit to Syria to meet with Ahmad al-Sharaa, the leader of Syria’s new de facto government, to discuss how to ensure accountability for alleged crimes committed in the country.

Chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court Karim Khan met Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa on Friday, state media reported, as last month's ouster of Bashar al-Assad sparks hopes for justice.

International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan has defended his decision to bring war crimes allegations against Israel's prime minister, saying Israel had made "no real effort" to investigate the allegations itself.