Syria’s leader arrives in US for Trump visit after removal from terrorism blacklist
Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose rebel forces ousted Assad, has been working to present a moderate image, in a break from his group’s violent past
Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrived in the United States on Saturday for a landmark official visit, his country’s state news agency reported, a day after Washington removed him from a terrorism blacklist.
Sharaa, whose rebel forces ousted long-time ruler Bashar al-Assad late last year, is due to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday.
The interim leader met Trump for the first time in Riyadh during the US president’s regional tour in May.
US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said earlier this month that Sharaa would “hopefully” sign an agreement to join the international US-led alliance against the Islamic State group.
The United States plans to establish a military base near Damascus “to coordinate humanitarian aid and observe developments between Syria and Israel”, a diplomatic source in Syria said.
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The US State Department’s decision on Friday to remove Sharaa from the blacklist was widely expected.