Top US diplomats visit Damascus for talks with Syrian opposition, meet interim leaders
Abu Mohammad al-Jolani has urged western countries to lift sanctions on Syria © SANA/AFP via Getty Images
For the first time in over a decade, top U.S. diplomats are in Damascus, Syria, to engage with representatives of “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham” (HTS) and other Syrian opposition leaders following the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad.
The U.S. delegation, led by Assistant Secretary of State Barbara Leaf, Ambassador Roger Carstens, and Senior Advisor Daniel Rubinstein, aims to discuss principles for political transition endorsed by the U.S. and regional partners in Aqaba, Jordan.
“They will engage directly with the Syrian people, civil society members, and activists to support their vision for Syria’s future,” a U.S. State Department spokesperson said.
The diplomats also hope to uncover information about missing American citizens, including Austin Tice and Majd Kamalmaz, who disappeared under the Assad regime.
This marks the first official U.S. contact with HTS leaders, the faction that played a pivotal role in the opposition coalition’s takeover of Damascus on December 8, ending Assad’s 13-year rule.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently noted positive signals from HTS and expressed optimism about a peaceful transition, saying, “We need to see concrete action, not just positive declarations.”
The U.S. visit follows similar delegations from France, Germany, and the UK earlier this week, signaling increased international engagement in Syria’s post-Assad era.
The United States severed ties with Syria in 2012 amid the civil war but is now exploring reengagement to support the country’s political transition and address pressing humanitarian and security concerns.
