A gaggle of U.S. officers are in Syria’s capital for the primary time in additional than 10 years in search of data on Americans who disappeared beneath the Assad regime, amongst different issues.
The crew visiting Damascus consists of US Particular Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens, Assistant Secretary of State for Close to Japanese Affairs (NEA) Barbara Leaf and NEA Senior Adviser Daniel Rubinstein, a State Division spokesperson informed Fox Information Digital.
Rubinstein, who beforehand served as U.S. Particular Envoy for Syria and has a long time of overseas affairs expertise, will lead the diplomatic engagement, the spokesperson confirmed.Â
His mission is to have interaction with the Syrian individuals and key events throughout the nation. He additionally seeks to coordinate with allies to advance ideas specified by a gathering between world leaders within the Jordanian metropolis of Aqaba earlier this month.
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Assistant Secretary of State for Close to Japanese Affairs (NEA) Barbara Leaf (left), US Particular Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens (center) and NEA Senior Adviser Daniel Rubinstein (proper) are in Damascus, Syria, for a diplomatic engagement, a State Division spokesperson informed Fox Information Digital (Alex Wong/Getty Photos; Mehmet Serkan afak/Anadolu through Getty Photos; Â Gali Tibbon-Pool/Getty Photos)
The trio will meet with the Syrian individuals to uncover their imaginative and prescient for his or her nation after the Assad regime fell earlier this month amid an ongoing civil battle. They may even ask how the U.S. may also help help them of their desired future.
“They are going to be participating straight with the Syrian individuals, together with members of civil society, activists, members of various communities, and different Syrian voices,” the spokesperson stated, partly.
The three officers may even meet with representatives of Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), a U.S.-designated terrorist group, to “focus on transition ideas” endorsed by the US and regional companions in Aqaba, Jordan, the State Division stated.
Abu Mohamed al-Jolani leads the U.S.-designated terrorist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) that took over Syria following the autumn of the Assad regime. (OMAR HAJ KADOUR/AFP through Getty Photos)
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Secretary of State Antony Blinken beforehand famous that world leaders mentioned “the necessity for an inclusive, Syrian-led political transition” through the Aqaba Conferences on Syria in Jordan on Dec. 14.
“The US helps a future authorities in Syria that’s chosen by and representatives of all Syrians,” Blinken stated on X.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Turkish Minister of Overseas Affairs Hakan Fidan on Dec. 13 in Turkey to debate establishing higher stability in Syria amid competing insurgent factions. (Getty Photos)
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One other aim of the go to is to find out what has occurred to Americans who disappeared beneath the Assad regime, together with former marine turned freelance journalist Austin Tice, who was kidnapped whereas reporting in Syria in 2012.
Carstens has been main the cost to find Tice and lately shared that Rewards for Justice is providing as much as $10 million for data on his whereabouts.
The State Division’s Reward for Justice program is providing $10 million for data relating Austin Tice. (The State Division’s Reward for Justice)
“Given latest occasions in Syria, the FBI is renewing our name for data that might result in the secure location, restoration, and return of Austin Bennett Tice, who was detained in Damascus in August 2012,” the FBI stated in a press release.
