US officials have been in direct contact with rebel group in Syria that ousted Assad, Blinken says – National
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Saturday US officials were in direct contact with the rebel group in Syria that led the overthrow of the government of President Bashar Assad but has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States and others.
Blinken is the first US official to publicly confirm the connection between the Biden administration and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, which leads the coalition of armed opposition groups that ousted Assad from power last Sunday.
Speaking at a press conference in Aqaba, Jordan, Blinken would not talk about the details of those contacted but said it is important for the US to convey messages to the group about its behavior and how it intends to govern in the transitional period.
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“Yes, we have had contact with HTS and other groups,” said Blinken. He added that “our message to the Syrian people is: We want them to succeed and we are determined to help them do so.”
HTS, a former al-Qaida affiliate, has been designated a foreign terrorist organization by the State Department since 2018. That position carries severe penalties, including a ban on providing any “material support” to the group. or its members. However, the sanctions do not legally prevent US officials from contacting designated groups.
HTS has worked to establish security and start a political revolution after capturing Damascus and has tried to reassure a public stunned by the fall of Assad and worried about extremist jihadis among the rebels. The leaders of the rebels say that the group has separated from its extremists.
The group’s leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, appeared in a video message on Friday congratulating “the great people of Syria on the victory of the blessed revolution.”
American officials say that Sharaa has been making positive comments about protecting the rights of minorities and women, but they doubt he will follow through on them in the long run.
On Friday, rebels and unarmed Syrian opposition groups worked safely to hand over to US officials an American man who had been imprisoned by Assad.
American officials continue to search for Austin Tice, an American journalist who disappeared 12 years ago near Damascus.
“We have impressed upon everyone we have come in contact with the importance of helping to find Austin Tice and bring him home,” said Blinken.
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