US Shifts Course: Syria Joins Anti-IS Coalition and Sanctions Eased

Overview

President Donald Trump hosted Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the White House and announced Syria will join the international coalition to defeat Islamic State as its 90th member. The administration said the Treasury, State and Commerce Departments will roll out measures to lift or ease economic restrictions, provide "compliance clarity for investors," suspend the Caesar Act for 180 days and permit Syria to reopen its embassy in Washington — signaling a major shift in US policy after relations were cut in 2012.

Leadership change and controversy

Al-Sharaa, who was removed last week from the US "specially designated global terrorist list," has worked to rebrand himself since leading an Al-Qaeda-linked faction and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in the past. The White House expressed confidence in his ability to help rebuild Syria, while critics point to his violent record, sectarian clashes and alleged human rights abuses; the administration says it will monitor Damascus’s actions closely. as reported by BBC

This story has also been reported by: New York Times, France 24