Syria’s new leaders are expected to meet the foreign ministers of France and Germany in the capital, Damascus, on Friday in the most high-profile Western visit since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad last month.
Annalena Baerbock, Germany’s top official, and Jean-Noël Barrot, France’s foreign minister, arrived in Damascus for the first time in years on behalf of the European Union, as world powers have begun building ties with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Islamic group that leads the new Syrian government.
Mrs. Baerbock and Mr. Barrot was scheduled to meet with Ahmad al-Shara, the leader of the group. The pair also visited the notorious Sednaya prison, where Mr al-Assad’s regime tortured and killed thousands of prisoners.
“We are going to Damascus today to offer our support, but also with clear expectations of the new governors,” Ms. Baerbock said in a statement. “A new beginning is only possible if all Syrians, regardless of race and religion, are given a place in politics.”
The visit is among a series of meetings between rebel leaders and Western officials aimed at gradually opening channels to the new Syrian authorities as Mr al-Shara has worked to project a more moderate image since taking office.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is still listed as a terrorist organization by the United States and the United Nations because of its ties to Al Qaeda. Mr al-Shara urged the world to remove the position, sought to reassure minority groups and said he wanted to focus on rebuilding Syria after years of civil war.
“Current events require the lifting of all sanctions on Syria,” he said in a televised interview last month.
Many countries – including the United States – have begun to build relationships with the new government. In late December, Barbara Leaf, the State Department’s top Middle East official, met with Mr. al-Shara in Damascus and told him that Washington would no longer force him to be imprisoned for years.
On Friday, Mr. Barrot also visited the disused French embassy in Damascus, which was closed in 2012 as the civil war escalated, the French Foreign Ministry said.
The negotiations come at a time of reunification in the Middle East, where Syria has historically been the dominant force and for decades was a symbol of the iron fist rule of one dynasty, which is opposed by most Syrians. At least six foreign forces were involved in the country’s nearly 14-year civil war, including Iran, Russia, Turkey and the United States.
The group of Mr. al-Shara follows and follows the teachings of political Islam, but it split with Al Qaeda and the Islamic State years ago, and has even fought with them. It has controlled most of Syria’s Idlib Province, which has been held by opponents of the Assad government, since 2017.
The party’s officials have made a grand plan to form a new government, and rebel leaders have taken key positions to oversee the transition. A government will be appointed in consultation with Syrians of all backgrounds, and a committee will be established to draft a new Syrian Constitution.
Here are some developments in the region:
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Houthi missile attack: Iran-backed Yemeni forces fired a missile at Israel before dawn on Friday, setting off alarm bells for the attack on central Israel, including Jerusalem. The Israeli military said it intercepted the missile and there were no reports of serious injuries. Israeli warplanes have flown more than 1,000 miles to attack Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen but Israel has struggled to halt attacks, which have escalated in the past month.
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Israel’s invasion of Lebanon: The Israeli army said on Thursday night it attacked Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon as the 60-day truce continues to hold. Since the deal went into effect in late November, Israel has repeatedly attacked what it says are Hezbollah fighters violating the deal. Hezbollah has generally refrained from responding militarily. The current moratorium will expire at the end of January, although the United States and its allies hope it will be permanent.
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