Overview
- Al‑Sharaa becomes the first Syrian president to be received in Washington since the country's 1946 independence, with a White House meeting set for Monday.
- The UN Security Council lifted sanctions on Al‑Sharaa and his interior minister, and the United States removed the Syrian leader from its terror list days before the trip.
- Syria’s Interior Ministry reported 61 nationwide raids and 71 arrests targeting Islamic State cells in the days leading up to the visit.
- U.S. envoy Tom Barrack said Damascus is expected to formalize participation in the U.S.-led anti‑IS coalition, with separate reports pointing to U.S. plans for a military presence near Damascus.
- Human‑rights groups caution against rapid normalization given Al‑Sharaa’s HTS background, urging safeguards for minorities and accountability for wartime abuses.