Syria is poised to join the international coalition combating the Islamic State group, marking a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, a senior Trump administration official has confirmed to CBS, the BBC’s U.S. media partner.
The announcement follows a meeting between President Donald Trump and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the White House, the first such visit from a Syrian leader in the nation’s history.
Diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Syria have been suspended since 2012, though the Trump administration has moved to restore them following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
President Trump has voiced his support for al-Sharaa, who until recently was designated a terrorist by the U.S. government.
Addressing reporters in the Oval Office after the meeting, President Trump stated, “We want to see Syria become a very successful country.”
“And I think this leader can do it,” he added. “I really do.”
President Trump indicated that more “announcements” are forthcoming, without providing specific details.
This marks the third meeting between the two leaders, following discussions in May on the sidelines of the Gulf Cooperation Council and a dinner during the UN General Assembly in September.
Al-Sharaa’s White House visit represents a notable transformation for the former jihadist.
He previously led a branch of Al-Qaeda, the group responsible for the 9/11 attacks, before severing ties.
Until earlier this year, he headed Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an armed Islamist group that the U.S. officially considered a terrorist organization, with a $10 million bounty on his head, until four months ago.
The Treasury Department removed al-Sharaa from its “specially designated global terrorist list” just last week.
Since assuming the role of interim Syrian president, al-Sharaa has sought to improve his public image as he works to rebuild Syria with foreign assistance, following 13 years of conflict.
“He has had a rough past,” President Trump said on Monday. “And I think, frankly, if you didn’t have a rough past, you wouldn’t have a chance.”
However, al-Sharaa’s rule has been marked by killings of members of Syria’s Alawite minority, as well as violent clashes between Sunni Bedouin fighters and Druze militias.
He has pledged to root out members of his security forces who have committed human rights violations.
President Trump has consistently expressed support for al-Sharaa, describing him as a “young, attractive guy” and a “fighter” with a “strong past”.
In June, President Trump signed an executive order lifting sanctions against Syria, which the White House stated would aid the country’s “path to stability and peace”.
At the time, the administration indicated it would monitor the new Syrian government’s actions, including “taking steps toward normalizing ties with Israel” and addressing “foreign terrorists” and militant groups operating within the country.
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