US officials in 'direct contact' with victorious Syria 

rebels

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States has been in “direct contact” with the HTS rebels that now control Syria after the overthrow of the Assad government. It was the first acknowledgement of direct American contact with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which the US still designates as a terrorist organization.

 Blinken was speaking in Jordan after talks with representatives from several Arab countries, Turkey and Europe to discuss Syria’s future. Officials agreed to support a peaceful transfer of power in the country, with Jordan’s foreign minister saying regional powers do not want to see it “descend into chaos”. A joint statement called for an inclusive Syrian government that respects the rights of minorities and does not create a base for “terrorist groups”. 

The talks are crucial to establishing a new regime that represents all Syrians after the turbulent events of recent weeks, both inside and outside Syria. At the meeting in Jordan, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein expressed concern about the future of Syria in the Middle East and beyond. He said regional players did not want to see another Libya, citing the chaos that followed the ouster of Colonel Gaddafi. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said existing Syrian institutions must be preserved and reformed. “Never let terrorism take advantage of a period of transition. And we must coordinate our efforts and learn from past mistakes,” Fidan said, according to Reuters news agency. 

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on torture charges The most powerful rebel group, HTS, has signaled it wants an inclusive government. But the group’s violent jihadist past has left some skeptical that it will deliver on such promises. Blinken said Washington is in direct contact with HTS — particularly about the fate of long-missing American journalist Austin Tice. “We are in contact with HTS and other groups,” Blinken told reporters in Jordan. No Syrian representative was present at the talks in Jordan. 

The foreign ministers of the eight Arab countries attending the meeting said they wanted to ensure that Syria is united and not divided along sectarian lines. Also absent were two countries that have provided financial support to Assad — Iran and Russia. The shadow of all the external forces that have been fighting Syria for so long hangs heavy over the country’s future. Building on the taste of freedom they enjoyed last week; Syria’s emerging political entities must unite not only inside the country but also outside.

 Syrian rebels have ended Bashar al-Assad's 24-year rule, with opposition forces seizing the capital and forcing the president to flee to Russia on December 8. The ouster comes after 13 years of civil war, which began when Assad cracked down on pro-democracy protests.

 The war has killed more than half a million people, displaced millions more and created friction between international powers and their representatives. HTS rebel leader Ahmed al-Shara, who previously used the name Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, has appointed Mohammed al-Bashir as Syria's interim prime minister, and the world is watching to see how the political landscape in Syria shapes up after the end of half a century of Assad family rule.

 HTS was founded in 2011 under a different name, Jabhat al-Nusra, as a direct affiliate of al-Qaeda. It was considered one of the most effective and deadly groups opposing President Assad. The United Nations, the United States, Turkey and other countries have banned it as a terrorist group - and it still is. But al-Sharia has publicly severed ties with al-Qaeda, and HTS's recent message has been inclusive and rejects violence or retaliation.