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Syria’s leader Ahmed al-Sharaa congratulated President Donald Trump on his inauguration, sharing an optimistic sentiment that the American president’s leadership could resolve longstanding conflicts in the Middle East.
“We are confident that he is the leader to bring peace to the Middle East and restore stability to the region,” Sharaa’s administration said in a statement on Monday.
“We look forward to improving the relations between our two countries based on dialogue and understanding.”
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Islamist group led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, played a decisive role in the rebel assault that unseated Bashar al-Assad on December 8, reshaping Syria’s power dynamics.
Syria’s newly established leadership is urgently appealing for international financial assistance to begin the arduous task of rebuilding a nation left in ruins after 13 years of relentless conflict.
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The transitional government under Sharaa has been actively seeking the removal of Western sanctions previously imposed on Assad’s rule, emphasizing the need to rebuild the nation’s shattered economy.
But some governments have been hesitant, wanting time to see how the new authorities exercise their power.
The United States and European countries, as well as Syria’s neighbours, have emphasised the need for the new rulers to combat “terrorism and extremism”.
With support from the United States, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were at the forefront of the military campaign that dismantled the Islamic State’s presence in Syria in 2019. They continue to oversee a significant number of prisons and camps, where thousands of alleged militants and their relatives are detained.
To support the broader anti-jihadist coalition, the United States has sustained its troop deployment in northern Syria, focusing on eradicating extremist elements in the region.
