Ahmad al-Sharaa: Trump calls Syrian President ‘attractive, tough'. He was once was a designated US terrorist and had ties with Al Qaeda
Trump calls Syrian leader 'young, attractive'
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Trump-Syrian leader meet stuns world
US President Donald Trump met with Syria's interim president Ahmad al-Sharaa in Riyadh and urged him to normalise with Israel after offering a major boost to the war-ravaged country by vowing to lift sanctions. Trump on Wednesday became the first US President in 25 years to meet a Syrian leader, an erstwhile Islamist guerrilla and onetime jihadist who had been on a US wanted list and led the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in December.The meeting on the sidelines of a Gulf Cooperation Council summit represents a significant turn for Syria as it attempts to chart a new course after 50 years of al-Assad dynasty's rule.While aboard Air Force One en route to Qatar, Trump poured praise on Sharaa, saying the meeting went "great" and describing the leader as a "young, attractive guy. Tough guy. Strong past. Very strong past. Fighter."Trump also said that al-Sharaa has a "Strong past, very strong past — fighter. He's got a real shot at holding it together." The meeting, on the sidelines of Trump's summit with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders in Riyadh, represents a significant shift for Syria, which is attempting to chart a new path after Bashar al-Assad's abrupt fall from power last year.When asked whether Sharaa had agreed to join the Abraham Accords and normalize relations with Israel, Trump said: 'I told him, 'I hope you'll join once things are sorted out,' and he said yes. But they still have a lot of work to do.'According to the White House, Trump also urged Sharaa to deport Palestinian militants, expel foreign fighters from the country, and assume control of camps holding captured Islamic State fighters—facilities currently managed by Kurdish forces that are opposed by Turkey. He also urged Sharaa to help the US in its mission to fight Islamic State and deal with the country's remaining chemical weapons stock.'[I am] ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria to give them a fresh start,' Trump told the conference of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)after his meeting with Sharaa. 'It gives them a chance for greatness. The sanctions were really crippling, very powerful.'Turkey and Saudi Arabia have both supported reconciliation with Syria, but the move further strains relations between Trump and Israel, which remains deeply skeptical of Sharaa and has intensified its military strikes against Syria to weaken the military capabilities of its longstanding adversary.For its part, Syria's Foreign Ministry said Trump and al-Sharaa discussed how the US and Syria could partner to fight groups such as the so-called Islamic State (IS) group that threaten the stability of the region. In Damascus, thousands across several cities cheered in the streets and set off fireworks on Tuesday night to celebrate the end of the sanctions, hopeful that their nation, long locked out of the global financial system, might rejoin the world's economy.The cordial interaction — and Trump's remarks about a former al Qaeda-linked leader — surprised many and drew criticism from US allies, including Israel, according to Reuters. Sharaa, who was imprisoned by the US in Iraq for five years and once led al Qaeda's official Syrian branch, broke away from the group in 2016 and later overthrew Bashar al-Assad in an unexpected offensive in December.Sharaa was for years the leader of al Qaeda's official wing in the Syrian conflict, according to Reuters. He first joined the group in Iraq, where he spent five years in a US prison. The United States removed a $10 million bounty on his head in December.Photos posted on Saudi state television showed them shaking hands in the presence of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MbS.Trump also said that Israel was not sidelined by his trip to the Gulf and that good US relations with those countries is good for Israel. 'This is good for Israel,' Trump told reporters onboard Air Force One. 'Having a relationship like I have with these countries … I think it's very good for Israel.'Trump urged Sharaa to follow the path of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco — all of which normalised ties with Israel under the US-brokered Abraham Accords. The Trump administration is now exploring normalising relations with Syria, starting with this high-profile meeting.'If we can bring peace and opportunity to a place like Syria, that's good for the world,' Trump said. The move could position Syria to eventually join the Abraham Accords, though Israeli officials have not welcomed the outreach. The Israeli prime minister's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.(With inputs from Reuters)
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