Syria’s Foreign Ministry said Trump and al-Sharaa discussed the Syrian-US partnership in fighting terror and armed groups such as IS, standing in the way of stability.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday met Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia, the first encounter between the two nations’ leaders in 25 years. The meeting is likely to mark a turning point for Syria as it struggles to emerge from decades of international isolation. Trump praised al-Sharaa to reporters after the meeting on Air Force One, saying he was a “young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter.”
Syria President’s links to al-Qaeda
Ahmad al-Sharaa, who as an insurgent had spent years imprisoned by US troops in Iraq. He was named interim president of Syria in January, a month after a stunning offensive by insurgent groups led by al-Sharaa’s Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, that stormed Damascus, ending the 54-year rule of the Assad family.
Under the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, al-Sharaa had ties to al-Qaida and joined insurgents battling US forces in Iraq before entering the Syrian war. He was even imprisoned by US troops there for several years. Moreover, Israel fears al-Sharaa and his Islamist past could pose a threat to its northern border.
Syria’s Foreign Ministry said Trump and al-Sharaa discussed the Syrian-US partnership in fighting terror and armed groups such as IS, standing in the way of stability.
Trump lifts sanctions on Syria
Earlier, Syrians cheered the announcement by Trump that the US will move to lift sanctions on the beleaguered Middle Eastern nation.
The state-run SANA news agency published video and photographs of Syrians cheering in Umayyad Square, the largest in the country’s capital, Damascus. Others honked their car horns or waved the new Syrian flag in celebration.
A statement from Syria’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday night called the announcement “a pivotal turning point for the Syrian people as we seek to emerge from a long and painful chapter of war”.
“The removal of these sanctions offers a vital opportunity for Syria to pursue stability, self-sufficiency and meaningful national reconstruction, led by and for the Syrian people,” the statement added.
(With inputs from AP)
