Syrian President Ahmed Sharaa has arrived in the United States for an official visit, just two days after Washington formally revoked his designation as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist.
The former Islamist commander is scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday — marking a significant diplomatic milestone only eleven months after Sharaa’s rebel alliance overthrew Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
Sharaa’s visit comes amid reports that Syrian security forces have detained dozens of suspected members of the so-called Islamic State (IS) group. Officials in Damascus said 71 IS suspects were arrested and weapons and explosives seized. Joint counterterrorism efforts are expected to be high on the agenda during Monday’s talks.
Since assuming power, Sharaa has sought to restore Syria’s international standing after more than a decade of civil war and years of global isolation under Assad. Addressing the United Nations General Assembly in September, Sharaa declared that Syria was “reclaiming its rightful place among the nations of the world” and urged the global community to end economic sanctions.
Earlier this week, the UN Security Council endorsed a U.S.-backed resolution lifting key sanctions on Damascus — a move that coincided with Washington’s ongoing efforts to normalize relations and support Syria’s transition.
On Friday, the U.S. Treasury Department officially removed both Sharaa and his interior minister, Anas Hasan Khattab, from its list of individuals suspected of supporting or financing extremist groups. The department said the decision recognized “the progress demonstrated by the Syrian leadership.”
Before entering politics, Sharaa was known under his alias Muhammad al-Jawlani, the former leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) — a militant group once linked to al-Qaeda. He publicly broke ties with the network in 2016, and earlier this year the U.S. lifted sanctions on HTS itself.
Sharaa previously fought in Iraq and was once held in U.S. custody. He had been the target of a $10 million American bounty before his emergence as a key figure in Syria’s post-Assad government.
President Trump last met Sharaa in May during a summit in Riyadh, describing him as “a tough guy with a very strong past.”
Despite his controversial background, Sharaa has gained cautious international support from governments that opposed Assad. He has pledged to lead a moderate, inclusive administration representing Syria’s diverse ethnic and sectarian communities.
Earlier this year, Sharaa vowed to purge elements within his security forces accused of executing members of Syria’s Alawite minority. However, renewed clashes between Sunni Bedouin tribes and Druze militias have raised doubts about the new government’s ability to deliver lasting stability after thirteen years of conflict
