U.S. delegation arrives in Syrian capital for first talks since Assad's downfall

 A State Department spokesperson stated that the delegation is expected to meet with members of the Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham rebel group.

Syrians celebrate at the first Friday prayers since Bashar al-Assad's ouster at the central square in Damascus, Syria, on Dec. 13.

Dec. 20, 2024, 11:52 AM GMT+6

By Abigail Williams and Andrea Mitchell
WASHINGTON — Senior U.S. officials arrived in Damascus on Friday, marking the first diplomatic visit to the Syrian capital since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime earlier this month.

The U.S. delegation, led by Barbara Leaf, the senior State Department official for the Middle East, is scheduled to meet with members of the Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) rebel group, which currently acts as the de facto government in Syria, according to a State Department spokesperson.

The discussions are expected to focus on plans for a transition to an inclusive Syrian government and efforts to gather information regarding the fate of Austin Tice, Majd Kamalmaz, and other American citizens who went missing during the Assad regime, the spokesperson stated. Roger Carstens, the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, who visited Damascus in 2020 for secret negotiations about Tice during the first Trump administration, is also part of the delegation.

In addition to HTS, the diplomats will meet with members of civil society, activists, various community leaders, and other Syrians to discuss their vision for the country's future and how the United States can support their efforts, the spokesperson added.

Daniel Rubinstein, a senior adviser at the State Department’s Middle East bureau, will lead the department’s diplomatic efforts on Syria. He will engage directly with the Syrian people and key stakeholders in Syria while coordinating with U.S. allies and partners, according to the spokesperson.

Since Assad’s ouster, the Biden administration has faced mounting pressure to deploy U.S. personnel to participate in the search for Austin Tice, who was abducted in Syria 12 years ago.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed on Thursday that the U.S. is in contact with "every possible actor who might be able to get information" about Tice’s whereabouts. "Any piece of information, any lead we have, we’re following it. We have ways of doing that irrespective of exactly where we are," Blinken said in an interview on MSNBC’s Morning Joe. "And I can just tell you that this is the No. 1 priority: to get Austin."

The U.S. delegation's visit follows trips by diplomats from France, the U.K., and Germany to Damascus earlier this week, as HTS leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani has called for the removal of international sanctions on the group.

HTS is designated as a terrorist group by the U.S., and there is a $10 million bounty on al-Jolani. While U.S. sanctions restrict material support to HTS, they do not prevent officials from meeting or speaking with the group. This creates challenges for humanitarian aid organizations working to assist both returning refugees and internally displaced persons in Syria.

The Biden administration is reportedly considering removing HTS from the terrorist list, but any such decision would depend on the group meeting certain conditions before the U.S. would officially recognize the Syrian government.

"We believe that whatever government arises from this transition, it must be inclusive, protect the rights of all Syrians, including women and minorities, and preserve critical state institutions while delivering essential services," said Deputy State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel on Thursday. "Perhaps most importantly, we want a Syria that does not pose a threat to its neighbors, the region, or become a base for terrorism, or align with groups like ISIS."