Barbara Leaf, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham officials discuss support for 'inclusive Syrian led political process that results in representative government,' says US Embassy in Syria
A top US diplomat for the Middle East on Friday traveled to Damascus, where he met with officials from the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) to discuss the need for an “inclusive” political process, according to the State Department.
During the meeting with HTS officials, Assistant Secretary of State Barbara Leaf discussed "principles agreed upon by the U.S. and partners in Aqaba - support for an inclusive Syrian led political process that results in representative government, which respects the rights of all Syrians," the US Embassy stated in a post on X.
"They also touched on regional events, Syria's intention to be a good neighbor and the importance of common efforts on terrorism," the statement said.
Leaf also met with a "diverse range of Syrians – civil society leaders, activists & others – to hear directly from them about their vision for the future of their country and how the United States can help support them," it added.
The meeting came days after Bashar Assad, Syria's leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963.
The takeover came after HTS fighters captured key cities in a lightning offensive that lasted less than two weeks.
The US closed its embassy in Damascus in 2012 and pulled all diplomatic staff from the country as the conflict spiraled.
