HTS Leader and Qatari Official Commit to Strengthen Relations
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Damascus, December 23 (NationPress) The head of Syria's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Ahmad al-Shara, met on Monday with Qatari Minister of State at the Foreign Ministry, Mohammed bin Abdulaziz al-Khulaifi, during which both parties expressed their commitment to develop a comprehensive strategic partnership and expedite the recovery of Syria.
During their discussion, al-Shara praised Qatar's supportive stance towards the Syrian populace and highlighted Damascus' desire to utilize Qatari expertise across multiple sectors.
"Our intention is to initiate extensive strategic collaboration with Qatar in the near future," he stated, also mentioning that the Gulf nation would assume an important and impactful role in shaping Syria's future. He further extended an invitation to the Emir of Qatar for a visit to Syria.
Al-Khulaifi, in response, emphasized Doha's dedication to assisting Syrians during their transitional phase and stated that "the Syrian people have the sole authority to determine their future without any external interference."
He reiterated, "Qatar will continue to stand beside our Syrian brethren, now more than ever," as reported by Xinhua news agency.
This visit by the Qatari delegation, led by al-Khulaifi, marks the first such visit in 13 years, as indicated by Qatar's Foreign Ministry.
Additionally, Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari announced on the social media platform X that the delegation traveled to Damascus "on the first Qatar Airways flight to land at a Syrian airport" since the fall of Bashar Al-Assad's regime.
Qatar officially resumed operations at its embassy in Damascus on Saturday, a facility that had remained closed since 2011 following the onset of anti-government protests in Syria.
In a related development, a senior US delegation had previously met with Ahmad al-Shara, the HTS commander, on Friday.
The US State Department stated that the diplomats "will engage directly with the Syrian people ... regarding their aspirations for the future of their nation and how the United States can assist them."
This delegation included Barbara Leaf, the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern affairs; Roger D. Carstens, the special presidential envoy for hostage affairs; and Daniel Rubinstein, former special envoy for Syria.
Syria's local news outlet al-Watan Online reported that the meeting addressed potential sanctions relief on Syria and the possibility of removing HTS from international terrorism lists.
