US President Donald Trump will host Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa for talks at the White House on November 10, marking the first-ever visit by a Syrian head of state, an administration official said Saturday.
Till now no official announcement.
Trump met al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia in May in what was the first encounter between the two nations’ leaders in 25 years and one that could serve as a turning point for Syria as it struggles to emerge from decades of international isolation.
The meeting, on the sidelines of Trump’s gathering with the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council, marked a major turn of events for a Syria that is still adjusting to life after the over 50-year, iron-gripped rule of the Assad family.
Under the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, al-Sharaa had ties to al-Qaida and joined insurgents battling US forces in Iraq before entering the Syrian war. He was even imprisoned by US troops there for several years.
Will Trump-Sharaa meeting brings new light to US-Syria relations
The Trump administration said earlier this week that it supports Congress permanently removing the " Caesar sanctions " imposed on Syria.
The Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, named after a Syrian military defector who smuggled out photos of torture victims, is a US law that took effect in June 2020. It targeted the Assad regime and anyone doing business with it, especially in sectors such as energy, construction and finance.
While the administration issued temporary waivers for these sanctions, only Congress can vote to cancel them.
The last visit to the White House by a senior Syrian official occurred in December 1999, when then-Syrian Foreign Minister Farouq al-Sharaa visited for peace talks with Israel. Barrack noted that a fifth round of direct negotiations between Israel and Syria, mediated by the United States, is expected to take place after al-Sharaa’s visit to Washington.
He stressed the US goal is reaching a security agreement on the border between the two countries by the end of the year.
From jihadist commander to Syrian president
Al-Sharaa seized power in Syria in December after leading a lightning insurgent offensive that ended Assad’s reign.
Once a senior figure in Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a militant group designated by Washington as a terrorist organisation, his rise unsettled Western governments wary of his past ties to al-Qaeda.
Since assuming office, al-Sharaa portrayed himself as a reformer. He held talks with leaders including US President Donald Trump in Riyadh and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, and pledged to rebuild Syria as a “safe, stable and unified” country.
In May, Trump moved to ease decades-old sanctions on Syria, though the most severe restrictions under the 2019 Caesar Act remain in place. Al-Sharaa continues to face criticism over allegations of sectarian killings by fighters loyal to his new govt, particularly against Druze and Alawite minorities. His administration also remains under UN sanctions, forcing him to request exemptions to travel abroad.
Till now no official announcement.
Trump met al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia in May in what was the first encounter between the two nations’ leaders in 25 years and one that could serve as a turning point for Syria as it struggles to emerge from decades of international isolation.
The meeting, on the sidelines of Trump’s gathering with the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council, marked a major turn of events for a Syria that is still adjusting to life after the over 50-year, iron-gripped rule of the Assad family.
Under the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, al-Sharaa had ties to al-Qaida and joined insurgents battling US forces in Iraq before entering the Syrian war. He was even imprisoned by US troops there for several years.
Will Trump-Sharaa meeting brings new light to US-Syria relations
The Trump administration said earlier this week that it supports Congress permanently removing the " Caesar sanctions " imposed on Syria.
The Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, named after a Syrian military defector who smuggled out photos of torture victims, is a US law that took effect in June 2020. It targeted the Assad regime and anyone doing business with it, especially in sectors such as energy, construction and finance.
While the administration issued temporary waivers for these sanctions, only Congress can vote to cancel them.
The last visit to the White House by a senior Syrian official occurred in December 1999, when then-Syrian Foreign Minister Farouq al-Sharaa visited for peace talks with Israel. Barrack noted that a fifth round of direct negotiations between Israel and Syria, mediated by the United States, is expected to take place after al-Sharaa’s visit to Washington.
He stressed the US goal is reaching a security agreement on the border between the two countries by the end of the year.
From jihadist commander to Syrian president
Al-Sharaa seized power in Syria in December after leading a lightning insurgent offensive that ended Assad’s reign.
Once a senior figure in Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a militant group designated by Washington as a terrorist organisation, his rise unsettled Western governments wary of his past ties to al-Qaeda.
Since assuming office, al-Sharaa portrayed himself as a reformer. He held talks with leaders including US President Donald Trump in Riyadh and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, and pledged to rebuild Syria as a “safe, stable and unified” country.
In May, Trump moved to ease decades-old sanctions on Syria, though the most severe restrictions under the 2019 Caesar Act remain in place. Al-Sharaa continues to face criticism over allegations of sectarian killings by fighters loyal to his new govt, particularly against Druze and Alawite minorities. His administration also remains under UN sanctions, forcing him to request exemptions to travel abroad.
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