Syrian President Sharaa could visit Washington

(Patria) - Syrian President Ahmed Sharaa is expected to visit Washington in the next two weeks, US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said on Saturday, which would be the first visit of a Syrian head of state to the US capital, Reuters reported.

Barrack told reporters on the sidelines of the Manama Dialogue security forum in Bahrain that Washington hopes the visit will pave the way for Syria to join the US-led coalition against the Islamic State group.

A Syrian source familiar with the plans confirmed the upcoming trip and said Washington is urging Damascus and Israel to finalize a de-escalation agreement before the visit.

The United States wants a new alliance

"We are trying to get everyone to be partners in this alliance, which is huge for them," Barrack said.

Since taking office from Bashar al-Assad last December, Sharaa has sought to restore Syria's ties with major powers after years of isolation under Assad. He addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September as part of his effort to project a new diplomatic image.

The US-led coalition was first formed in 2014 to fight the Islamic State, which once controlled nearly a third of Syria and Iraq before being defeated in 2019. Barrack said Syria's participation could help prevent the resurgence of this militant group, which tried to exploit the political vacuum after Assad's fall.

Sharaa is a former member of ISIL and Al-Qaeda, but reportedly distanced himself from these groups before Assad was overthrown.