US announces decision on Jolani after first contact with HTS: 'Reward will be removed'
It has been reported that a delegation led by Barbara Leaf, US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, met with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) officials during a visit to Damascus. Additionally, the US announced that it would remove the bounty placed on Jolani.
AA
According to a statement from the US Embassy in Damascus's social media account, Leaf met with HTS officials during her visit to Damascus today.
It was shared that the meeting addressed the "principles agreed upon" at the summit held by the US and its allies in Aqaba, Jordan, and that support would be provided for an "inclusive political process that respects the rights of all Syrians" and has representative power under Syrian leadership.
FIRST VISIT
Following the end of the Baath regime in Syria on December 8, a US delegation visited Damascus for the first time.
BOUNTY TO BE REMOVED
Following this development, the US announced that it would remove the bounty placed on Jolani.
OVERTHROW OF ASSAD
In Syria, clashes between anti-regime armed groups and Bashar al-Assad's forces intensified on November 27.
Between November 30 and December 7, anti-regime armed groups gained superiority in major provinces such as Aleppo, Idlib, Hama, and Homs.
With the support of the masses for the groups that began entering the capital Damascus on December 7, the regime lost control entirely in Damascus and many other regions, collapsing on December 8.
While the 61-year rule of the Baath Party came to an end, regime leader Assad fled to Russia on December 8, which had decided to provide asylum for him and his family from the capital.
On the other hand, the Syrian National Army liberated the Tel Rifaat district center from the terrorist organization PKK/YPG on the first day of the Operation Dawn of Freedom launched in December.
With the liberation of the Manbij district in the operation, the region, which had turned into the largest terrorist nest west of the Euphrates River, was cleared of the PKK/YPG.
Following the overthrow of the Baath regime, a transitional administration was established in Syria, and Mohammed al-Bashir was appointed as the prime minister of the transitional administration until March 2025.
The Turkish Embassy in Damascus also resumed operations on December 14.