Washington (AP) The State Department announced on Monday that it is not currently looking into the designation of the main Syrian rebel group that toppled Bashar Assad’s administration this weekend as a foreign terrorist organization. However, it stated that such designations are continuously reviewed and that the label does not prevent U.S. authorities from communicating with the group even while it is in effect.
According to State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, there isn’t a specific review of what transpired over the weekend. We do, however, constantly review. Our stance on sanctions may alter in response to their behavior, but as of right now, we have no options.
He stated that if Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, takes action to change the justifications for its categorization, a review might be started. According to him, that would depend only on its behavior.
A ban on giving material support to such groups is one of the several penalties imposed by the designation, but Miller stated that this would not necessarily stop its members from speaking with U.S. officials.
According to a senior administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal discussions, HTS will play a significant role in what happens in Syria and the United States needs to interact with them correctly and with U.S. interests in mind.
Miller later acknowledged that the Taliban has never been labeled in the same manner, citing the Trump administration’s negotiations with them on the United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan. Rather, the Taliban were classified as a specially designated terrorist organization, which carries a less penalty.
However, Miller stated that U.S. authorities do have the legal authority to speak with a designated terrorist organization when doing so serves our interests.
According to the White House, President Joe Biden and King Abdullah II of Jordan discussed over the phone the quickly changing situation in Syria and their combined efforts to prevent the Islamic State extremist group from taking advantage of it.
During the discussion, Biden and the monarch of Jordan also talked about the ongoing efforts to negotiate a truce and hostage agreement in Gaza, as well as the hundreds of U.S. airstrikes that were carried out on Sunday against IS militants and leaders in the Syrian desert.
The conversation was made while Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs Barbara Leaf and Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs John Bass were in the area consulting with important allies. According to the State Department, they spent the weekend in Doha, Qatar, and are in Amman, Jordan, on Monday.
Since the civil conflict began in 2011, more than a million Syrians have fled to neighboring Jordan, and Amman officials are hoping that the overthrow of Assad’s regime won’t lead to another refugee crisis.
According to a White House statement, the president underlined US support for Jordan’s stability and the country’s crucial role in preserving peace and reducing tensions across the Middle East.
Separately, the State Department reported that the United States had partnered with local organizations to secure the closed U.S. Embassy compound in Damascus, which had been protected by the Czech Embassy until recently after operations were halted in 2012.
However, when the situation in the capital became increasingly unstable, the Czechs closed their own embassy in Damascus. It would not specify which organizations the United States made the agreements with.
The Associated Press, 2024. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. It is prohibited to publish, broadcast, rewrite, or redistribute this content without authorization.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!