Trump to meet with Syria's al-Sharaa as he weighs easing sanctions after Assad's overthrow

RIYADH – President Donald Trump volition conscionable Wednesday successful Saudi Arabia with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, the onetime insurgent who past twelvemonth led the overthrow of erstwhile person Bashar Assad.

“The President agreed to accidental hullo to the Syrian President portion successful Saudi Arabia tomorrow," the White House said.

The U.S. has been weighing however to grip al-Sharaa since helium took powerfulness successful December. Gulf leaders, person rallied down the caller authorities successful Damascus and volition privation Trump to follow, believing it is simply a bulwark against Iran's instrumentality to power successful Syria, wherever it had helped prop up Assad's authorities during a decade-long civilian war.

Then-President Joe Biden near the determination to Trump, whose medication has yet to formally admit the caller Syrian government. Sanctions imposed connected Damascus nether Assad besides stay successful place.

As helium prepared to permission Washington, Trump said he’s weighing removing sanctions connected the Syrian government.

“We whitethorn privation to instrumentality them disconnected of Syria, due to the fact that we privation to springiness them a caller start,” said Trump, adding that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has urged him to bash so.

The comments marked a striking alteration successful code from Trump, who has been profoundly skeptical of Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa.

Formerly known by the nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, al-Sharaa joined the ranks of al-Qaida insurgents battling U.S. forces successful Iraq aft the U.S.-led penetration successful 2003 and inactive faces a warrant for his apprehension connected coercion charges successful Iraq.

Al-Sharaa, whom the U.S. erstwhile offered $10 cardinal for accusation astir his whereabouts due to the fact that of his links to al-Qaida, came backmost to his location state aft the struggle began successful 2011 wherever helium led al-Qaida’s subdivision that utilized to beryllium known arsenic the Nusra Front. He aboriginal changed the sanction of his radical to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and chopped links with al-Qaida.

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