Washington The first diplomatic mission to the Syrian capital since the overthrow of dictator Bashar al-Assad this month saw senior U.S. officials arrive in Damascus on Friday.
According to a State Department spokesperson, representatives of the Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) rebel organization are due to meet with the U.S. delegation, which is headed by Barbara Leaf, the senior State Department official for the Middle East. In Syria, the organization is functioning as the de facto government.
According to a statement from the spokesperson, the talks are anticipated to center on the hopes for a transition to an inclusive Syrian government and the search for information regarding the whereabouts of Majd Kamalmaz, Austin Tice, and other American nationals who vanished under the Assad dictatorship.
The delegation also includes Roger Carstens, the special presidential envoy for hostage problems, who visited Damascus in 2020 for confidential talks over Tice under the first Trump administration.
The spokeswoman stated that in addition to HTS, the ambassadors will meet with activists, representatives of other communities, civil society members, and other Syrians to discuss their outlook for their nation’s future and how the US can assist them.
According to the spokesman, Daniel Rubinstein, a senior advisor in the State Department’s Middle East office, would be in charge of the department’s diplomatic efforts in Syria. He will coordinate with friends and partners and interact directly with the Syrian people and important Syrian parties.
The Biden administration has faced mounting pressure since Assad’s overthrow to deploy American forces to the region to help in the search for Tice, who was kidnapped in Syria twelve years ago.
The United States is in contact with all potential actors who could provide information, according to Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s statement on Thursday. And everyone who has any connection to Syria’s various emerging authorities is involved in this.
We are following up on any leads or information we receive. “No matter where we are, we have ways of doing that,” Blinken stated during an interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”And all I can say is that getting Austin is the top priority.
As HTS leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani demands that international sanctions be lifted on him and the rebel group, the U.S. delegation’s visit comes after diplomats from France, the United Kingdom, and Germany visited Damascus this week.
With a $10 million reward for Jolani, HTS is still a recognized terrorist organization in the United States. The sanctions restrict the provision of material support, which complicates matters for humanitarian aid organizations trying to help both the refugees who are flooding back to their home country and those who have been displaced within it for the past ten years, but they do not prohibit the U.S. delegation from meeting or communicating with HTS.
According to NBC News, the Biden administration is considering taking HTS off of its terrorist list. However, the administration has also outlined a number of requirements that must be fulfilled before the US can fully recognize the Syrian government.
Deputy State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel stated Thursday that, like all governments, the one that emerges from this transition must be inclusive, defend the rights of all Syrians, including women and minorities, maintain vital state institutions, and provide basic services. Perhaps most importantly, we want to see Syria no longer be a threat to its neighbors or the surrounding areas, nor a place where terrorists will use it as a base or form alliances with organizations like ISIS.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!