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Syria joins global anti-IS coalition in US policy reversal
Syria will become the 90th member of the international coalition against the Islamic State group, a senior Trump administration official confirmed Tuesday, marking a dramatic turn in US Middle East policy. The announcement followed a historic White House meeting between President Donald Trump and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa-the first visit by a Syrian leader to Washington.
Economic sanctions suspended
Alongside the coalition announcement, US agencies will unveil measures to ease economic restrictions on Syria, including an 180-day suspension of the Caesar Act-a 2019 law targeting the former Syrian government. The Treasury, State, and Commerce departments will also provide "compliance clarity for investors," according to administration officials.
Trump, speaking in the Oval Office after the meeting, called Syria's potential for recovery "tremendous" and expressed confidence in al-Sharaa's leadership. "We want to see Syria become a very successful country," he said. "And I think this leader can do it."
From designated terrorist to US ally
Al-Sharaa's transformation from jihadist leader to US-backed president underscores the rapid geopolitical realignment. Until recently, he headed Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an al-Qaeda-linked group designated a terrorist organization by the US-with a $10 million bounty on his head. The Treasury Department removed him from its terrorist list just last week.
In a Fox News interview, al-Sharaa framed the visit as part of a "new era" of US-Syrian cooperation, emphasizing future economic and geopolitical ties. He acknowledged his controversial past but insisted the focus was on "the present and the future."
"He has had a rough past," Trump remarked Monday. "And I think, frankly, if you didn't have a rough past, you wouldn't have a chance."
Human rights concerns persist
Al-Sharaa's rule has been marred by sectarian violence, including killings of Alawite minorities and clashes between Sunni Bedouin and Druze militias. While he has pledged to address human rights abuses within his security forces, critics question the sincerity of his reforms.
Diplomatic thaw after decade-long freeze
The White House visit caps a series of high-profile meetings between Trump and al-Sharaa, including encounters at the Gulf Cooperation Council in May and the UN General Assembly in September. Diplomatic relations, severed in 2012, will now allow Syria to reopen its embassy in Washington.
In June, Trump signed an executive order lifting sanctions on Syria, citing support for its "path to stability and peace." The administration has tied further normalization to Syria's progress on counterterrorism and potential ties with Israel.
