DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) \u2013 The U.S. envoy to Syria, Thomas Barak, said on Thursday that the United States will not consider removing Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism unless significant changes are observed under the leadership of Syrian Transitional President Ahmad al-Sharaa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking to a group of journalists in Damascus, Barak emphasized that Washington is closely watching the developments in Syria and that any change in designation depends on the new government\u2019s actions. \u201cThe situation is still evolving, and much will depend on what President al-Sharaa does next,\u201d Barak stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He also described Israeli involvement in Syria as a complicating factor, adding that \u201cno mutual understanding has yet been reached between Syria and Israel, which continues to delay progress.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last week, Barak posted on X (formerly Twitter) that U.S. President Donald Trump\u2019s decision to lift some sanctions on Syria was a \u201cpreliminary step\u201d aimed at giving Syrians \u201can opportunity to move past years of suffering and unspeakable atrocities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Barak said the international community had responded with cautious optimism, expressing tentative support for the transitional government in Damascus. \u201cThere was hope for a new future,\u201d he said, \u201cbut this fragile ambition is now overshadowed by the brutal acts committed by warring factions, which continue to undermine the authority of the government and shake any semblance of order.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The U.S. envoy revealed that he had advised President al-Sharaa to reconsider his internal policies, including military restructuring and limiting the influence of what he described as \u201chardline elements,\u201d in order to prevent national fragmentation and retain international backing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Barak also addressed the recent killing of U.S. citizen Hossam Saraya, a Syrian-American who was reportedly executed along with seven family members in the southern city of al-Suwayda. He said the Syrian transitional government is cooperating with an ongoing investigation led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe will identify those responsible, and anyone found complicit will be held accountable,\u201d he asserted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Earlier this month, the U.S. State Department called on the Syrian government to conduct an immediate and transparent investigation into Saraya\u2019s death. The department also confirmed it had held direct discussions with Syrian authorities regarding the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Barak\u2019s remarks come at a time when Syria\u2019s transitional leadership is under increasing scrutiny, both for its domestic conduct and its efforts to re-engage with the international community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As of Thursday, no official timeline has been given regarding Syria\u2019s potential removal from the terrorism list, with U.S. officials stressing that further action will depend on verifiable progress in reforms and security cooperation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) \u2013 The U.S. envoy to Syria, Thomas Barak, said on Thursday that the United States will not consider removing Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism unless significant changes are observed under the leadership of Syrian Transitional President Ahmad al-Sharaa. Speaking to a group of journalists in Damascus, Barak […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":127850,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pgc_sgb_lightbox_settings":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[39,3,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-127849","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home","category-politics","category-syria"],"yoast_head":"\n