Senior United States officials arrived in Damascus on Friday, marking the first diplomatic mission to the Syrian capital since the fall of dictator Bashar al-Assad earlier this month.
The U.S. delegation, led by Barbara Leaf, the senior State Department official for the Middle East, plans to meet with members of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebel group, which has assumed the role of the de facto government in Syria, according to a State Department spokesperson. The discussions will focus on expectations for a transition to an inclusive Syrian government and efforts to gather information about the fate of Austin Tice, Majd Kamalmaz, and other American citizens who disappeared during Assad’s regime.
The special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, Roger Carstens, is also part of the delegation. Carstens previously traveled to Damascus in 2020 during the Trump administration for secret negotiations concerning Tice, who was abducted in Syria 12 years ago.
In addition to engaging with HTS, the U.S. diplomats are scheduled to meet with civil society members, activists, community representatives, and other Syrians. These meetings aim to discuss their vision for Syria’s future and explore ways in which the United States can support them.
A senior adviser for the State Department’s Middle East bureau, Daniel Rubinstein, will lead the department’s diplomatic engagement in Syria. He is tasked with directly engaging the Syrian people, key parties within the country, and coordinating efforts with international allies and partners.
The Biden administration has faced mounting pressure to intensify efforts to locate and recover Tice. Secretary of State Antony Blinken underscored the administration’s commitment, stating, “The United States was in touch with every possible actor who might be able to get information. And this involves anyone and everyone who has some relationship with the different rising authorities in Syria.” Speaking on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Blinken added, “Any piece of information we get, any lead we have, we’re following it. We have ways of doing that irrespective of exactly where we are. And I can just tell you that this is the No. 1 priority: to get Austin.”
The U.S. mission follows similar visits by diplomats from France, the United Kingdom, and Germany earlier this week. These visits coincide with calls from Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the leader of HTS, urging the international community to lift sanctions imposed on him and the group.
HTS remains a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, with a $10 million bounty on Jolani. While the designation does not prohibit U.S. officials from meeting with HTS representatives, it complicates the provision of material support, affecting humanitarian aid efforts for refugees returning to Syria and internally displaced persons.
The Biden administration is reportedly considering removing HTS from its terrorist list. However, it has set forth conditions that must be met before formally recognising a Syrian government.
Deputy State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel emphasised these conditions, stating, “Our view is that whatever government arises out of this transition, it needs to be inclusive, it needs to protect the rights of all Syrians, including women and minorities. Like all governments, it needs to preserve critical state institutions and deliver essential services. And perhaps most important, we want to see a Syria that does not pose a threat to its neighbours or the region or being a place that’s going to serve as a base for terrorism or allying with groups like ISIS.”
