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Syrian Leader Ahmad al-Chareh Arrives in Washington for First-Ever White House Visit

Washington is using the trip to formalize counter-ISIS cooperation.

Overview

  • He is set to meet President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday in the first U.S.–Syria leaders’ meeting since the country’s 1946 independence.
  • The visit follows his removal from the U.S. terrorism blacklist and the U.N. Security Council’s lifting of sanctions tied to his former HTS role.
  • U.S. envoy Tom Barrack says al-Chareh is expected to sign an accord to join the U.S.-led international coalition against the Islamic State during the trip.
  • Syria’s interior ministry reported 61 raids and 71 arrests across Aleppo, Idlib, Hama, Homs, Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa and Damascus targeting Islamic State cells.
  • Officials and media highlight reconstruction outreach and contacts with Israel, while a reported U.S. plan for a base near Damascus is unconfirmed.