U.S.-led Coalition rejects Syria’s request to join fight against ISIS
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Sources told the Lebanese newspaper An-Nahar on Saturday that the U.S.-led Global Coalition has declined the Syrian transitional government’s request to join its campaign against the Islamic State (ISIS).
According to the newspaper, sources in Washington, France, and Syria confirmed that Damascus’s second attempt to join the U.S.-led Coalition has once again stalled.
Roughly ten days ago, Damascus submitted a renewed request to join the Coalition, citing growing diplomatic momentum from France, Germany, and Saudi Arabia. A well-informed Syrian source described the move as part of broader efforts to gain Western support during Syria’s transitional phase.
A French diplomatic source noted that Paris, in coordination with Germany and with support from Saudi Arabia, worked to persuade Syria’s transitional president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, to submit a new request.
The move was seen as a potentially significant step toward advancing the transitional process and improving acceptance by Western powers, especially the United States, the source said.
However, a Syrian official told the newspaper that the Coalition had not approved the request, stating there were no sufficient grounds for acceptance. The Coalition leadership reportedly left the request unanswered, effectively putting it on hold for a limited time—interpreted by some as a deadline for Damascus to meet specific conditions.
Meanwhile, a diplomatic source in Washington, an American of Arab origin, remarked that Damascus continues to rely on unrealistic expectations to secure political recognition from the United States.
The source added that Washington had submitted a list of high-ranking Syrian military officers with foreign nationalities whose continued presence in leadership positions was viewed as a security concern. Their removal was seen as a prerequisite for serious engagement, he said.
According to the sources cited by An-Nahar, Damascus’s insistence on retaining foreign officers in top positions is seen not only as a challenge to Washington but also as a sign of reluctance to dismantle the supranational structures that have long supported its power.