Syrian President al-Sharaa Cancels Visit to Germany

(Patria) - Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has cancelled his planned visit to Berlin this week, a German government spokeswoman said on Sunday.

The visit, scheduled for Tuesday, which was meant to focus on Germany's efforts to accelerate the repatriation of Syrians, "has been postponed by the Syrian side," the spokeswoman said.

Al-Sharaa on Sunday announced an agreement with the head of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdi, which includes a ceasefire after government forces advanced into Kurdish areas in northern and eastern Syria.

Al-Sharaa said he would meet Abdi on Monday to finalise the details of the agreement.

During what was supposed to be his first visit to Germany since the overthrow of long-time Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, al-Sharaa was scheduled to meet with Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

A German government spokesman said last week that Berlin has an "interest in deepening and finding a new beginning with the new Syrian government".

The return of Syrians to their homeland was on the agenda, he said.

Approximately one million Syrians have fled to Germany in recent years. Many of them arrived in 2015 and 2016 to escape the war.