US Revokes $10 Million Bounty on Syria’s De Facto Leader Sharaa

The United States has withdrawn a $10 million (£7.9 million) reward for the apprehension of Syria’s de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa. This decision follows discussions between high-ranking American diplomats and representatives from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Assistant Secretary of State Barbara Leaf described her conversation with Sharaa as “very productive,” noting that he appeared “pragmatic.” The American delegation arrived in Damascus, the capital, shortly after HTS overthrew the Bashar al-Assad regime less than two weeks ago. Washington continues to classify HTS as a terrorist organization. A spokesperson for the State Department confirmed that the diplomats addressed “transition principles” supported by the US, regional developments, and the necessity of combating IS. The spokesperson also indicated that officials were seeking further information regarding American citizens who disappeared under Assad’s rule, including journalist Austin Tice, who was abducted in Damascus in 2012, and psychotherapist Majd Kamalmaz, who went missing in 2017. Earlier, a US embassy spokesperson stated that a news conference involving Ms. Leaf had been canceled due to “security concerns.” However, during a subsequent briefing, Leaf denied this, asserting that “street celebrations” were the reason for the delay. This visit marks the first formal American diplomatic presence in Damascus in over a decade. It serves as an additional indication of the significant transformations underway in Syria since Assad’s removal, and the rapid pace of efforts by the US and Europe, also leveraging Arab countries, to influence its emerging governance. This visit follows recent delegations from the UN and other nations, including the UK, France, and Germany. The group of senior officials includes Barbara Leaf, Roger Carstens, who is US President Joe Biden’s hostage envoy, and Daniel Rubinstein, a senior adviser in the Bureau of Near East Affairs. The spokesperson further stated that the delegation engaged with civil society groups and members of various communities in Syria “about their vision for the future of their country and how the United States can help support them.” The meeting demonstrated a readiness to engage with HTS, which the US still designates as a terrorist organization but is actively encouraging to transition to an inclusive, non-sectarian government. Washington is effectively establishing a set of conditions before it would consider delisting the group – a critical step that could facilitate the easing of sanctions, which Damascus urgently requires. Meanwhile, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that IS leader Abu Yusif and two of his operatives were killed in an airstrike in Syria’s Deir al-Zour province, located in the north-east. In a statement issued on Friday, CENTCOM reported that the airstrike was launched on Thursday and carried out in an area previously controlled by the Assad regime and Russian forces supporting his government. General Michael Erik Kurilla, CENTCOM commander, stated that the US would not permit IS “to take advantage of the current situation in Syria and reconstitute,” adding that the group intended to free over 8,000 detained IS militants held in Syria. North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher provides insights into US politics in his bi-weekly US Election Unspun newsletter. Readers in the UK can subscribe here. Those outside the UK can sign up here. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.