The 53-year-old from Alabama is currently the only living person with an animal organ transplant
world3 days ago
Top diplomats from the Biden administration are in Damascus on Friday to meet new Syrian authorities led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a State Department spokesperson said, the first in-person and official meeting between Washington and Syria's de-facto new rulers.
The State Department's top Middle East diplomat Barbara Leaf, Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens and newly appointed Senior Advisor Daniel Rubinstein, who is now tasked with leading the Department's Syria engagement, are the first US diplomats to travel to Damascus since Syria's opposition militias overthrew President Bashar al-Assad.
The visit comes as Western governments are gradually opening channels to HTS and its leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, and start debating whether or not to remove the terrorist designation on the group. The US delegation's travel follows contacts with France and Britain in recent days.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
In their meetings, the US officials will discuss with HTS representatives a set of principles such as inclusivity and respect for the rights of minorities that Washington wants included in Syria's political transition, the spokesperson said.
The delegation will also work to obtain new information about US journalist Austin Tice, who was taken captive during a reporting trip to Syria in August 2012, and other American citizens who went missing during the Assad regime.
"They will be engaging directly with the Syrian people, including members of civil society, activists, members of different communities, and other Syrian voices about their vision for the future of their country and how the United States can help support them," the department spokesperson said.
"They also plan to meet with representatives of HTS to discuss transition principles endorsed by the United States and regional partners in Aqaba, Jordan," the spokesperson said.
The United States cut diplomatic ties with Syria and shut down its embassy in Damascus in 2012.
In a seismic moment for the Middle East, Syrian rebels seized control of Damascus on December 8, forcing Assad to flee after more than 13 years of civil war, ending his family's decades-long rule.
The lightning offensive raised questions over whether the rebels will be able to ensure an orderly transition.
Forces under the command of Al Sharaa - better known as Abu Mohammed Al Golani - replaced the Assad family rule with a three-month transitional government that had been ruling a rebel enclave in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib.
Washington in 2013 designated Al Sharaa a terrorist, saying al Qaeda in Iraq had tasked him with overthrowing Assad's rule and establishing Islamic Sharia law in Syria. It said the Nusra Front, the predecessor of HTS, carried out suicide attacks that killed civilians and espoused a violent sectarian vision.
US President Joe Biden and his top aides described the overthrow of Assad as a historic opportunity for the Syrian people who have for decades lived under his oppressive rule, but also warned the country faced a period of risk and uncertainty.
Washington remains concerned that extremist group Daesh could seize the moment to resurrect and also wants to avoid any clashes in the country's northeast between Turkey-backed rebel factions and US-allied Kurdish militia.
ALSO READ:
The 53-year-old from Alabama is currently the only living person with an animal organ transplant
world3 days ago
Sara had been subjected to 'acts of extreme cruelty' but Sharif and Batool had not shown 'a shred of remorse', says judge Cavanagh
world3 days ago
The UNHCR Director said that some of those fleeing could be linked to the former government or else be religious minorities with concerns
world3 days ago
Rafah residents say Israeli tanks pushed deeper towards the western area of Mawasi, known as a humanitarian-designated area
world3 days ago
Kamal Adwan is one of the last operational medical facilities in the north of the war-ravaged territory, with the WHO warning earlier this month that it was operating at a 'minimum' level
world3 days ago
A tsunami warning was issued after the quake, with waves of up to one metre forecast for some areas, but it was soon lifted by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre
world3 days ago
Vanuatu's vulnerability to earthquakes has consistently ranked it as the most at risk country globally under the UN's World Risk Index
world3 days ago
First elected to parliament in 2013, the former journalist joined Trudeau's cabinet two years later when the Liberals swept to power
world4 days ago