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Syrian President visits Washington after US lifts terror designation
(MENAFN) Syrian President Ahmed Sharaa has arrived in Washington for official discussions with US President Donald Trump, just two days after being removed from the US list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists. This marks his first White House meeting since his rebel coalition toppled Bashar al-Assad nearly a year ago.
The visit comes amid ongoing joint operations against remnants of the Islamic State in Syria.
Authorities reported the arrest of 71 suspected ISIS members, alongside the seizure of weapons and explosives.
Sharaa has been working to restore Syria’s international standing after years of civil war and isolation under the Assad regime. In September, he addressed the UN General Assembly, asserting that Syria is “reclaiming its rightful place among the nations of the world” and calling for sanctions relief.
Earlier this week, the UN Security Council supported a US resolution lifting certain restrictions, complementing Washington’s gradual easing of sanctions on Sharaa and his interior minister, Anas Hasan Khattab. The Treasury Department cited their “progress demonstrated by the Syrian leadership” as justification for the removal from the extremist registry.
Sharaa, formerly known by his alias Muhammad al-Jawlani as leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), had previously been aligned with al-Qaeda until severing ties in 2016. He had also fought for al-Qaeda in Iraq and was once imprisoned by US forces, carrying a $10 million bounty. The US had lifted sanctions on HTS earlier this year.
Trump met Sharaa in May in Riyadh, describing him as a “tough guy, very strong past.” Despite his militant background, Sharaa has gained support from governments opposing Assad, pledging to establish a moderate government that appeals to Syria’s diverse ethnic and factional groups.
Security challenges remain significant. Sharaa has vowed to address human rights violations within his forces, including alleged executions of members of Syria’s Alawite minority, while clashes between Sunni Bedouin and Druze militias highlight the ongoing instability in the war-torn country.
The visit comes amid ongoing joint operations against remnants of the Islamic State in Syria.
Authorities reported the arrest of 71 suspected ISIS members, alongside the seizure of weapons and explosives.
Sharaa has been working to restore Syria’s international standing after years of civil war and isolation under the Assad regime. In September, he addressed the UN General Assembly, asserting that Syria is “reclaiming its rightful place among the nations of the world” and calling for sanctions relief.
Earlier this week, the UN Security Council supported a US resolution lifting certain restrictions, complementing Washington’s gradual easing of sanctions on Sharaa and his interior minister, Anas Hasan Khattab. The Treasury Department cited their “progress demonstrated by the Syrian leadership” as justification for the removal from the extremist registry.
Sharaa, formerly known by his alias Muhammad al-Jawlani as leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), had previously been aligned with al-Qaeda until severing ties in 2016. He had also fought for al-Qaeda in Iraq and was once imprisoned by US forces, carrying a $10 million bounty. The US had lifted sanctions on HTS earlier this year.
Trump met Sharaa in May in Riyadh, describing him as a “tough guy, very strong past.” Despite his militant background, Sharaa has gained support from governments opposing Assad, pledging to establish a moderate government that appeals to Syria’s diverse ethnic and factional groups.
Security challenges remain significant. Sharaa has vowed to address human rights violations within his forces, including alleged executions of members of Syria’s Alawite minority, while clashes between Sunni Bedouin and Druze militias highlight the ongoing instability in the war-torn country.
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