HTS rebels seek inclusive government after toppling Assad regime, says US
\n Washington DC
\nThe United States had made \u201cdirect contact\u201d with the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebels who have taken control of Syria following the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed.
\nThe acknowledgment marks the first official US recognition of engagement with the rebel group, which remains designated a terrorist organisation by Washington.
\nBlinken spoke in Jordan, where he was attending talks with representatives from several Arab countries, Turkey, and Europe to discuss Syria\u2019s future.
\nThe international talks focused on supporting a peaceful transition in Syria. Blinken\u2019s statement came after regional powers expressed a shared interest in preventing the country from descending into chaos.
\n\u201cWe\u2019ve been in contact with HTS and with other parties,\u201d Blinken said, referring to discussions on issues such as the fate of missing US journalist Austin Tice, who was abducted in Syria over a decade ago.
\nThe Syrian opposition has made progress in pushing for an inclusive government following the collapse of Assad\u2019s regime. HTS, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa (formerly Abu Mohammed al-Jolani), has promised to build a government that represents all Syrians, despite its violent jihadist past.
\nDespite a shift in HTS\u2019s rhetoric, regional powers remain cautious, and the United States continues to monitor the group\u2019s intentions.
\nAt the meeting in Jordan, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein voiced concerns over Syria\u2019s future, highlighting the region\u2019s desire to avoid a scenario similar to the post-Gaddafi chaos in Libya.
\nTurkey\u2019s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stressed the importance of preserving and reforming Syria\u2019s institutions, warning against allowing terrorism to exploit the transition period.
\nSyria\u2019s absence from the talks, along with the exclusion of Russia and Iran\u2014key backers of the Assad regime\u2014underscored the fractured state of Syrian diplomacy.
\nMeanwhile, Israel has continued air strikes against Syria, citing security concerns over strategic threats.
\nThe ongoing political realignment in Syria is set against the backdrop of a brutal 13-year civil war, which saw Assad\u2019s regime backed by Russian and Iranian forces while rebel factions, including HTS, fought for a democratic transition.
\nAs HTS prepares to establish a transitional government, the world watches closely to see how the political landscape in Syria will evolve after the fall of the Assad regime.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
HTS rebels seek inclusive government after toppling Assad regime, says US Washington DC The United States had made \u201cdirect contact\u201d with the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebels who have taken control of Syria following the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed. The acknowledgment marks the first official US recognition […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":449660,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-449621","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n