Syrian President Ahmed Sharaa is currently in Washington for an official visit, following the U.S. government’s recent decision to revoke his designation as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. Sharaa, a former Islamist militant, is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday. This meeting comes almost a year after Sharaa’s rebel group ousted Bashar al-Assad from power.
Shortly before Sharaa’s arrival, Syrian security forces reported the detention of 71 individuals suspected of ties to the Islamic State group, along with the seizure of weapons and explosives. Addressing counter-terrorism efforts will likely be a prominent topic in Sharaa’s discussions with Trump.
Since assuming leadership, Sharaa has aimed to re-establish Syria’s status in the international community after enduring decades of isolation from the Assad regime and over a decade of civil war. In September, he participated in the UN General Assembly where he emphasized Syria’s intention to reclaim its place among global nations and urged the removal of sanctions.
Additionally, the UN Security Council recently supported a U.S. resolution to lift certain sanctions, a move that aligns with the U.S. interest in gradually easing restrictions on Syria and its leadership. Sharaa and his interior minister, Anas Hasan Khattab, were removed from a U.S. list of individuals implicated in enabling extremist groups, a decision cited by the Treasury Department as recognizing the progress of the new Syrian leadership.
Previously known by the alias Muhammad al-Jawlani, Sharaa was affiliated with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a group linked to al-Qaeda until 2016. Before leading HTS, he was involved with al-Qaeda in Iraq and had a $10 million bounty placed on him by the U.S.
Despite concerns about his past, Sharaa has received support from various governments, advocating for a moderate government that can unify Syria’s diverse ethnic groups. Nevertheless, recent violence between Sunni Bedouin tribal fighters and Druze militias raises questions about the stability of the HTS-led government in a country that has faced conflict for years.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0rpxkwdkrpo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss