Syria Joins Anti-ISIS Coalition Following White House Meeting
Syria has announced its intention to join the international coalition dedicated to combating the Islamic State (IS) group. This development follows a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the White House, marking the first time a Syrian leader has visited the White House.
Diplomatic Engagements and Policy Shifts
The announcement was confirmed by a senior Trump administration official. President Trump met with Syrian President al-Sharaa at the White House. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office after the meeting, President Trump stated, "we want to see Syria become a country that's very successful," adding, "And I think this leader can do it." He also indicated that further announcements were expected.
This meeting represents the third interaction between the two leaders, following engagements during the Gulf Cooperation Council in May and the UN General Assembly in September. Diplomatic relations between Syria and the US had been suspended since 2012, with efforts by the Trump administration to restore them after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government.
President Al-Sharaa's Background
President Ahmed al-Sharaa's visit to the White House follows a period of transformation regarding his international standing. Previously, he led a branch of Al-Qaeda and subsequently Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an armed Islamist group that the US had officially designated as a terrorist organization until four months prior. A $10 million bounty had been placed on his head. The US Treasury Department removed al-Sharaa from its "specially designated global terrorist list" just last week.
Since assuming the interim Syrian presidency, al-Sharaa has engaged in efforts to redefine his public image and facilitate Syria's rebuilding with international support, following 13 years of conflict. President Trump commented on al-Sharaa's past, stating, "He has had a rough past," and "if you didn't have a rough past, you wouldn't have a chance."
Internal Challenges and US Conditions
Al-Sharaa's tenure has been associated with reports of killings targeting members of Syria's Alawite minority and outbreaks of violence between Sunni Bedouin fighters and Druze militias. He has publicly committed to addressing human rights violations within his security forces.
In June, President Trump signed an executive order that lifted sanctions against Syria. The White House stated at the time that this action aimed to support the country's "path to stability and peace." The administration also indicated that it would monitor the new Syrian government's actions, including its progress toward "normalising ties with Israel" and its efforts to address "foreign terrorists" and militant groups operating within the country.