A delegation representing Syria's emerging government, affiliated with the jihadist terrorist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), on Wednesday called for funding and other support to rebuild the war-torn country, making a historic move to Saudi Arabia. He began his first international visit.
A group of Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) officials arrived in Saudi Arabia on Thursday and met with HTS “Minister of Foreign Affairs” Asad Al Shaibani, “Minister of Defense” Mulhaf Abu Khasra, and HTS Intelligence Director Anas Khattab. .
HTS leaders say the main goal of Syria's new foreign policy is to convince neighboring countries such as Saudi Arabia that they do not pose a national security threat to their country, and instead seek closer diplomatic and economic ties. He claimed that it was.
Foreign Minister Shaybani released a message on Wednesday to mark his first foreign trip as Syria's top diplomat, describing Saudi Arabia as a “sister” country.
“Through the first visit in the history of Free Syria, we hope to open a new bright page in Syria-Saudi relations, worthy of the long history shared between our two countries,” he wrote.
Syria has been under the rule of the Iranian-allied Assad dynasty for more than half a century and suffered a civil war that lasted more than a decade and ended in December. HTS, an offshoot of the jihadist terrorist group al-Qaeda, is one of many militias, government agencies and other political actors involved in the civil war, which launched a campaign against dictator Bashar al-Assad in November before ending its final campaign. became a clear winner.
HTS quickly conquered Aleppo, the country's second-largest city, and eventually confronted a disintegrating Syrian army that allowed them to invade Damascus. President Bashar al-Assad and his family fled the capital for Russia on December 7-8 and are believed to remain in Moscow as guests of strongman President Vladimir Putin at the time of writing.
The leader of HTS, US-designated terrorist Ahmed al-Shalah, is now Syria's de facto leader, having abandoned his jihadist nickname Abu Mohammed al-Jolani and resumed operating under his real name. . He has rebranded himself as a “pragmatic” pro-Western leader, wearing Western-style suits and hosting representatives of outgoing US President Joe Biden and other leaders. Barbara Leaf, America's top diplomat for the Middle East, who met with Schaller on December 20, praised the terrorist for providing a “very good, very productive and detailed” conversation.
Following the meeting, the Biden administration lifted the $10 million bounty offered for Shara'a's capture.
Syrians, especially those living in former Assad strongholds such as Damascus, have expressed extreme doubts about whether the government led by jihadist terrorists will respect their civil rights. Syria is home to a diverse mix of ethnic and religious groups, including prominently Kurds, Druze, and Christians of all ethnicities, and the Assad regime tolerates these people as long as they do not criticize it in any way. did. Minority groups have staged multiple protests since Assad fled to protest the imposition of an Islamist government. shariaor Islamic law, indicated that Sharah is the goal of his organization.
As part of Sharah's global appeal offensive, the new government is seeking closer ties with Saudi Arabia. Under Assad, Syria was essentially Iranian territory, at odds with Riyadh, Tehran's biggest geopolitical rival. As an Emirati newspaper, Nationwide Observed on Thursday, Saudi Arabia cut For 10 years, starting in 2012, the year after the civil war broke out, the country established official relations with Syria and spearheaded efforts to isolate the Assad regime in the Middle East. Riyadh only restored Diplomatic relations will be established with Syria in May 2023 following an agreement to normalize diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran brokered by China. During the rift, the Saudi government supported It supports anti-Assad rebels in Syria, making it a top candidate for a positive relationship with the HTS-led regime.
Riyadh before Shara’a delegation arrives in Saudi Arabia Sent In December, it sent its diplomats to Damascus to begin dialogue after the fall of the Assad regime. Since then, Shaller has publicly called on Saudi Arabia to establish closer ties with his regime. tell Saudi network Al Arabiya last week promoted the country as a “huge investment opportunity”, expecting Saudi Arabia to “certainly play a big role in Syria's future”.
“The liberation of Syria will ensure the security of the region and the Gulf for the next 50 years,” Shaller said. promised Also in other interviews.
A major national security concern for Saudi Arabia is the production of Captagon, a stimulant often used by terrorists to incite murderous acts. Hamas terrorists are known to have used Captagon during the atrocities committed during the invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023, a weapon commonly used by the Islamic State's “caliphate” and The fighters took the drug before committing widespread acts of rape and torture. , and kill. Bashar al-Assad was long believed to be the head and biggest beneficiary of Syria's Captagon trafficking empire, but his flight abroad and the discovery of drug stockpiles by HTS terrorists led to the partial collapse of the empire. collapsed.
Kurdish outlet Ludo It noted on Thursday that Saudi Arabia is a “major” consumer of Captagon and stands to benefit greatly from the collapse of Captagon manufacturing. It is believed that as part of diplomacy with HTS, efforts are being made to stop the flow of seafarers leaving Syria across the border.
“The Gulf states wanted assurances from Mr. al-Assad that Damascus would stop the flow of the Captagon drug from Syria,” he said. Nationwide Reported this week. “Amphetamine-like drugs were Syria's most valuable export in the last years of its rule, with trade valued at billions of dollars.”
When HTS's top diplomat landed in Saudi Arabia, the latter country announced The humanitarian Sky Bridge project provides food, water, and medicine to Syrians impoverished by the civil war.
“In a statement to SPA, His Excellency the Counselor to the Royal Court and Director of Relief for the State of Kansas, Dr. Abdullah Al Rabia, said that the empty bridge began today,'' the state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. Ta. And God willing, another land bridge will be built in the coming days to provide urgent relief to our brothers in Syria. ”
