Summary

Syria will join the international coalition against the Islamic State as its 90th member, a shift confirmed by a senior US administration official during a historic White House visit by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The meeting — the first-ever visit to Washington by a Syrian head of state since relations were suspended in 2012 — was followed by announcements that the US will allow Syria to reopen its embassy in Washington and that Treasury, State and Commerce will introduce measures to lift some economic restrictions and provide compliance clarity for investors. The administration also said it will issue an 180-day suspension of the Caesar Act, which had sanctioned the previous Syrian government.

Al-Sharaa, who was removed from the US specially designated global terrorist list last week, has a past leadership role in jihadist groups including a former al-Qaeda branch and later Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, and until recently had a multimillion-dollar US bounty. Since becoming interim president he has sought to reposition himself and attract foreign support to rebuild after 13 years of war, while facing ongoing allegations of reprisals and sectarian violence. President Trump expressed support for al-Sharaa and for Syria’s recovery, noting prior moves this year to lift sanctions contingent on the new government’s actions; the US said it will continue to monitor Syrian steps on issues such as foreign militants and ties with regional actors. as reported by BBC

This story has also been reported by: New York Times