Overview
- The UN Security Council approved a U.S.-drafted resolution 14–0, with China abstaining, removing sanctions on al‑Scharaa and Interior Minister Anas Hasan Khattab.
- The U.S. State Department dropped both men from its terrorism sanctions list, and the U.K. also lifted its measures as the EU signaled it will consider aligning.
- Syrian state media reported al‑Scharaa has arrived for an official visit, with a White House meeting set for Monday that would be the first by a Syrian president in Washington.
- U.S. Syria envoy Tom Barrack says al‑Scharaa is expected to sign Syria into the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS, and diplomats say Washington is planning a base near Damascus.
- China is pressing for stricter guarantees on counterterrorism and foreign fighters, and rights concerns persist over al‑Scharaa’s HTS past and reported clashes involving minorities.