Senior officials from the Biden administration arrived in Damascus on Friday to engage with Syria’s newly established leadership under Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), according to a State Department spokesperson. This marks the first official, in-person meeting between U.S. representatives and Syria’s de facto new rulers.
Barbara Leaf, the State Department’s top Middle East diplomat, Roger Carstens, the Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, and Daniel Rubinstein, the recently appointed Senior Adviser leading Syria-related efforts, are the first American diplomats to visit Damascus since opposition groups ousted former President Bashar Assad.
The West eager to engage in Syria!
The trip coincides with a broader trend of Western nations cautiously initiating dialogue with HTS and its leader, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, while deliberating whether to reconsider the group’s terrorist designation. The U.S. delegation’s visit follows prior discussions with officials from France and the United Kingdom.
During their meetings, U.S. representatives are expected to discuss principles such as inclusivity and the protection of minority rights, which Washington seeks to incorporate into Syria’s political transition. Additionally, the delegation aims to gather information on Austin Tice, a U.S. journalist who disappeared during a reporting assignment in Syria in August 2012, along with other American nationals who went missing under the Assad regime.
“They will engage directly with Syrian citizens, including activists, civil society members, representatives of various communities, and other voices to understand their vision for the future and explore ways the United States can support them,” the spokesperson stated.
“They also plan to meet HTS representatives to discuss transition principles endorsed by the U.S. and regional allies in Aqaba, Jordan,” the official added.
The U.S. severed diplomatic relations with Syria and closed its Damascus embassy in 2012. On December 8, Syrian rebel forces captured Damascus in a swift offensive, prompting Assad to flee after more than 13 years of civil war, effectively ending his family’s prolonged rule. This transformative event in the Middle East has sparked concerns about whether the rebels can ensure a stable transition.
Ahmed Al-Sharaa, commonly referred to as Abu Mohammed Al-Golani, leads the forces that replaced Assad’s regime with a transitional government. This temporary administration had previously governed a rebel-held area in Idlib, in northwestern Syria.
