Sharaa's US Visit Marks a New Chapter for Syria

Sun Nov 09 2025 08:47:09 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Syrian President Ahmed Sharaa arrives in Washington for talks with Donald Trump just after his terrorist designation was lifted, signaling a potential shift in US-Syria relations.

Syrian President Ahmed Sharaa arrived in the U.S. for discussions with President Trump, following the lifting of his designation as a terrorist. Amid ongoing security challenges, including the arrest of suspected ISIS members, Sharaa's visit represents Syria's attempts to re-establish international ties and leadership credibility after years of civil strife.

Syrian President Ahmed Sharaa has arrived in Washington for an official visit, just two days after the US formally revoked his status as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.

The former Islamist militant will meet US President Donald Trump at the White House, eleven months after his rebel alliance ousted Bashar al-Assad.

Hours before his arrival in the US capital, it was announced that Syrian security services had detained dozens of suspected members of the Islamic State (IS) group.

Joint efforts to tackle what remains of the group in Syria are expected to be high on the agenda during Sharaa's talks with Trump.

Syrian authorities reported that 71 suspected members of the IS group were arrested, with weapons and explosives seized.

Since taking power, Sharaa has looked to reestablish Syria's presence on the world stage after decades of isolation under the Assad regime and 13 years of civil war.

He traveled to the US in September to address the UN General Assembly, stating Syria was reclaiming its rightful place among the nations of the world and called on the international community to remove sanctions.

Earlier this week, the UN Security Council backed a US resolution to lift measures, coinciding with Washington's gradual easing of sanctions on Syria and its new leaders.

On Friday, Sharaa and Interior Minister Anas Hasan Khattab were removed from a US register of individuals suspected of supporting or funding extremist groups—a decision recognized by the Treasury Department for the progress shown by the Syrian leadership.

Sharaa had been listed under the name Muhammad al-Jawlani, the alias used while leading Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which was affiliated with al-Qaeda until 2016 when he severed ties.

Sharaa previously fought for al-Qaeda in Iraq and was imprisoned by US forces, attracting a $10 million bounty on his head.

Despite his past, Sharaa has shown a commitment to lead a moderate government that can unite Syria's various ethnic groups and factions, promising to root out elements within his security forces linked to past atrocities.

However, recent violence between Sunni Bedouin tribal fighters and Druze militias raises concerns about whether the HTS-led government can restore stability in a nation torn by over a decade of conflict.