US in direct contact with Islamist rebels who took over Syria
The United States has engaged directly with the Islamist movement that led the campaign to overthrow Bashar al-Assad, despite the group’s classification as a terrorist organization. This move comes as Western and regional powers strive for a peaceful political transition in Syria.
On Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken became the first American official to confirm Washington’s contact with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has taken control of the Syrian capital, Damascus.
Speaking after discussions with regional leaders in Jordan, Blinken announced that the U.S. and its allies had agreed on a unified approach to supporting Syria. This includes advocating for a Syrian-led political process that is inclusive, representative, and protective of all minority groups.
Blinken stated that these shared principles had been communicated to Syria’s new leadership. “As Syria progresses in this direction through a Syrian-led process, we will consider adjusting sanctions and other measures accordingly,” he added.
HTS, formerly linked to al-Qaeda, is recognized as a terrorist organization by the U.S., UN, and EU. The group’s leader, Abu Mohammed Jolani, who has a $10 million U.S. bounty on his head, severed ties with al-Qaeda in 2016 and has since attempted to present himself as a more moderate Islamist leader.
Both HTS and the Syrian state remain under Western sanctions. The country has endured over 13 years of civil war and decades of corrupt, oppressive rule by the Assad family.
Recent events in Syria have unfolded rapidly. HTS led a swift offensive that ended the Assad regime’s five-decade rule in under two weeks. After entering Damascus with other rebel factions, HTS appointed a caretaker prime minister to oversee an interim government until March. The group has pledged to safeguard minorities.
Assad fled to Russia, and his fall has sparked celebrations across Syria, though uncertainty lingers about the country’s future. Blinken emphasized the importance of sustained, long-term action over symbolic gestures or single-day decisions.
Syria faces significant challenges, including a devastated economy, widespread displacement, and a diverse population of religious and ethnic groups amidst ongoing armed conflicts. Blinken highlighted shortages of essential supplies like fuel and wheat, stressing that U.S. support would prioritize immediate humanitarian needs.
Under Assad, Syria relied heavily on Iranian oil imports, but as rebels closed in on Damascus, Iran withdrew thousands of personnel from the country. Syria also sourced wheat from Russia, another key Assad ally during the conflict sparked by a violent crackdown on protests in 2011.
Currently, the U.S. maintains around 900 troops in Syria, assisting Kurdish-led forces in combating ISIS. However, this mission complicates relations with Turkey, which views Kurdish fighters as linked to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a group that has waged a decades-long insurgency against the Turkish state. Turkey supports Syrian rebel factions that cooperated with HTS in the campaign against Assad but have clashed with Kurdish forces.
Blinken warned that the political transition in Syria creates a window of vulnerability that ISIS could exploit to regroup.