U.S. engages with former foes: Backing new Syrian leadership
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed that American authorities are communicating with the Syrian rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which recently overthrew Bashar al-Assad's government. Until recently, Americans considered the group as terrorists.
6:56 AM EST, December 15, 2024
Blinken, quoted by the Associated Press, emphasized that the U.S. is ready to support the rebels in their actions. "Yes, we’ve been in contact with HTS and with other parties," said the U.S. Secretary of State during a press conference in Aqaba, Jordan.
Our message to the Syrian people is this: We want them [the rebels] to succeed – and we’re prepared to help them do so, he added.
Blinken is the first U.S. official to officially confirm contacts between the U.S. administration and HTS, noted the agency.
The fall of al-Assad’s regime in Syria
On December 8, Syrian rebels, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (formerly allied with Al-Qaeda), captured Damascus and overthrew Bashar al-Assad's rule.
The interim government's prime minister is Mohamed al-Bashir, who announced he would hold the position until March 1, 2025. HTS's military commander, Abu Hasan al-Hamwi, in an interview with "The Guardian," revealed that the operation had been planned for years, and the decision to start it was made in late November after intensive preparations.
Despite the rebellion's success, Syria’s future remains uncertain. After the government's overthrow, HTS aims to ensure security in Syria and facilitate the country’s political transformation. Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Muhammad al-Jawlani, declared that HTS intends to focus on rebuilding Syria and eliminating remnants of the regime.
Their actions are watched with distrust due to the group’s past. The international community hopes for a peaceful resolution of the conflict and the restoration of stability in the region.
The fall of Assad's regime sparked reactions among the Syrian diaspora. A sense of new hope has dominated the Syrian community worldwide. Many are planning to return to their homeland, seeing it as an opportunity to rebuild the country after years of conflict.
