UPDATE - Top US diplomat for Mideast meets with HTS officials in Damascus
Barbara Leaf, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham officials discuss support for 'inclusive Syrian led political process that results in representative government,' says US Embassy in Syria
ADDS CONTACTS BY LEAF, BACKGROUND
By Rabia Iclal Turan
WASHINGTON (AA) - A top US diplomat for the Middle East on Friday traveled to Damascus, where he met officials from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) to discuss the need for an “inclusive” political process, according to the State Department.
Assistant Secretary of State Barbara Leaf discussed "principles agreed upon by the U.S. and partners in Aqaba - support for an inclusive Syrian led political process that results in representative government, which respects the rights of all Syrians," the US Embassy wrote on X.
"They also touched on regional events, Syria’s intention to be a good neighbor and the importance of common efforts on terrorism," it said.
Leaf also met a "diverse range of Syrians – civil society leaders, activists & others – to hear directly from them about their vision for the future of their country and how the United States can help support them," it added.
She commemorated the tens of thousands of Syrians and non-Syrians who were detained, tortured, forcibly disappeared, and who perished at the hands of the Assad regime, it said.
"The U.S. commitment to hold accountable those responsible for these atrocities is unwavering," it added.
She also met representatives of the White Helmets to thank them for their "heroic efforts" and to honor their "bravery" and "sacrifices," and affirmed continued US support for their "vital" work.
The meeting marks the first between US officials and the HTS days after Bashar Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963.
The takeover came after HTS fighters captured key cities in a lightning offensive that lasted less than two weeks.
HTS has been designated as a terror organization by the US, UK, UN and Türkiye. The group and its leader, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, however, have sought to rebrand themselves as a more moderate force in Syria, emphasizing inclusion and a political path forward.
US officials welcomed the inclusive statements by the HTS, and said their policy will be determined by their actions. According to several reports, the US, along with the UN and several other countries, are considering removing the HTS from their terror list though officials have yet to confirm officially.
The US closed its embassy in Damascus in 2012 and pulled all diplomatic staff from the country as the conflict spiraled.
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