US officials with Syria’s new authorities: Combating ISIS and preventing Iran's return on the table
Shafaq News/ On Tuesday, US officials met with Syria’s interim authorities, as part of a series of Arab and foreign visits, emphasizing the importance of continuing efforts to combat ISIS.
Currently, around 2,000 US troops are stationed in northeastern Syria as part of the Global Coalition against ISIS, operating in regions controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
On X, the US Embassy in Damascus announced that the meeting stressed the need to “protect U.S. citizens & ascertain fate of disappeared American citizens; maintain fight against ISIS; prevent Iran from resurging in Syria; fully represent all Syrians & ensure inclusive political process.”
Earlier this month, US officials made their first formal visit to Damascus following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime. The delegation, led by Barbara Leaf, the State Department's top Middle East diplomat, met with Ahmad Al-Sharaa, Syria's new leader and head of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), previously known as Jabhat al-Nusra.
During the meeting, Leaf told Al-Sharaa that Washington would no longer offer a reward for his capture, adding, "We discussed the need to ensure that terrorist groups do not pose a threat within Syria.”
Notably, the US and several Western powers expressed “satisfaction” when HTS-led factions overthrew Al-Assad on the 8th of December, after a surprise military assault and the sudden withdrawal of the Syrian army.
