The Syrian Interim President, Ahmad al-Sharaawent on an official visit to the United States last Saturday (8), one day after leaving the American terrorism blacklist, on which he was registered due to his previous links to the terrorist group Al-Qaeda. This Monday (10), the head of state is expected to meet with the North American president, Donald Trumpin Washington, to sign an agreement in which Damascus, the Syrian capital, joins the international anti-jihadist coalition led by the United States.
According to Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary, cited by Euronewsthe visit “is part of the president’s diplomatic efforts [americano] to meet with anyone around the world in the pursuit of peace.”
Although it is not the first time that the leaders have met, this will be the first visit by a Syrian head of state to White House since 1946, the year in which Syria became independent from France. This year, in May, Trump and al-Sharaa met at Saudi Arabiafor which the American leader pointed out the “good work” done so far by the Syrian president.
At the end of last year, Syrian rebel forces defeated the former leader Bashar al-Assadwith the rise of al-Sharaa to power, after a civil war that lasted almost fourteen years and, in 2019, the country was fighting militarily against the Islamic Statedefeated by the coalition and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), led by the Kurds, who are currently negotiating their integration into the Syrian army.
Rebels opposing the Syrian President’s regime began by conquering the city of Aleppo
Anadolu
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Syria is also seeking to secure funds for its reconstruction, a project whose cost could exceed 216 billion dollars (187 billion euros), according to the World Bank.
The United States, in turn, plans to establish a military base near Damascus, a diplomatic source in Syria told AFP.
On Thursday (6), the Security Council of the United Nations (UN) lifted sanctions imposed in 2013 against Ahmad al-Chareh, who until now needed a United Nations exemption for each international trip. The resolution, prepared by the United States, welcomes the commitment of Ahmad al-Chareh (who a year ago led the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham – HTS group, the former Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda), to combat terrorism.
Text written by André Sousa and edited by João Miguel Salvador.