The US has scrapped a $10m (£7.9m) reward for the arrest of Syria’s de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, following meetings between senior diplomats and representatives from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
Assistant Secretary of State Barbara Leaf said the discussion with Sharaa was “very productive”, and he came across as “pragmatic”.
The US delegation arrived in the capital, Damascus, after HTS overthrew the Bashar al-Assad regime less than a fortnight ago. Washington still designates it as a terrorist group.
A State Department spokesperson confirmed that the diplomats discussed “transition principles” supported by the US, regional events and the need to fight against IS.
The spokesperson also said the officials were seeking further information on American citizens who disappeared under Assad’s regime, including journalist Austin Tice, who was abducted in Damascus in 2012, and psychotherapist Majd Kamalmaz, who disappeared in 2017.
A US embassy spokesperson earlier said a news conference involving Ms Leaf had been cancelled due to “security concerns”.
However during a later briefing, Leaf denied that, insisting “street celebrations” were the cause of the delay.
BBC
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