Tom Barrack to Serve as US Envoy to Syria

Tom Barrack, the Turkish US ambassador and a former adviser to President Donald Trump, announced on Friday that he will take on the role of Syria’s Special US Envoy. This comes amidst discussions about relief from recent sanctions.

In a post on X, Barrack expressed his support for Secretary of State Marco Rubio in “realizing the President’s vision” for Syria. He noted that President Trump outlined a clear vision for a prosperous and stable Middle East.

On May 13, Trump had indicated plans to lift US sanctions against Syria to help stabilize the new government. These sanctions date back to 1979 when Syria was designated as a national sponsor of terrorism.

Barrack emphasized that lifting these sanctions would help maintain the goal of permanently defeating ISIS and allow the Syrian people to recover. He mentioned that the Heiat Tahrir al-Sham, a group that opposed the Bashar al-Assad regime, was banished last year.

Currently, about 1,500 US troops are stationed in Syria to combat ISIS, while around 10,000 ISIS fighters are being held by the Syrian Democratic Forces, which is a US-backed Kurdish militia.

Barrack concluded by stating that the goal is to collaborate with local partners, including Turkey and Gulf states, to restore hope for peace and prosperity in Syria. “As the President said, we will succeed together,” he added.