A senior U.S. delegation met with Syria’s interim leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, previously known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, in Damascus on Friday.
$10 million U.S. and a historic shift
The U.S. delegation included Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs (NEA) Barbara Leaf, Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens, and NEA Senior Advisor Daniel Rubinstein. Their meeting with al-Sharaa, who once had a $10 million U.S. bounty on his head, marked a historic shift in U.S.-Syria relations. The discussion lasted just under two hours, with one source describing the meeting as “productive.”
The international community has rallied to support a peaceful transition in Syria, calling for an inclusive government that upholds human rights—a stark departure from the authoritarian rule of Assad. The U.S. delegation’s visit to Syria was the first since Assad’s regime fell less than two weeks ago.
Will US Lift Sanctions On HTS Abu Mohammad al-Jolani
According to a statement from the U.S. Embassy in Syria, the delegation’s discussions with Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) officials centered on “support for an inclusive Syrian-led political process that results in representative government, which respects the rights of all Syrians.” Talks also addressed Syria’s regional role and collaborative counter-terrorism efforts.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized the need for clear actions from HTS. “We want to make it clear to HTS and all of the emerging authorities that the recognition that they seek, the support that they seek and need from the international community—well, there are certain expectations that come along with that,” Blinken stated on Thursday.
Positive statements from Mr. Jolani
He acknowledged “positive statements coming from Mr. Jolani, the leader of HTS,” but added that “what everyone is focused on is what’s actually happening on the ground, what are they doing.” Blinken also suggested that the lifting of U.S. and international sanctions on HTS, which remains a designated terrorist organization with former ties to al Qaeda, would require “concrete action.”
The delegation’s visit to Syria was also aimed at uncovering information on the whereabouts of American citizens who disappeared under Assad’s rule, including Austin Tice and Majd Kamalmaz. Tice, a journalist, has been detained in Syria for over a decade.
Future Prospects for Syria’s Governance
According to a State Department spokesperson, the U.S. has been in direct contact with HTS regarding the missing Americans and received a commitment from the group to aid in locating them. Carstens, who was part of the U.S. delegation, has spent recent weeks in the region intensifying efforts to find Tice. However, those efforts have yet to yield any results.
The U.S. and its allies have established a set of principles to guide Syria’s political transition. These principles call for an inclusive, representative government that respects human rights—a significant departure from the practices of Assad’s regime.
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