Blinken: US, Syrian rebel group have been in 'direct contact' - Breaking The News

Blinken: US, Syrian rebel group have been in 'direct contact'

14 December

1 min read

EPA-EFE/MOHAMED ALI

United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed on Saturday that Washington has been in "direct contact" with the Syrian rebel group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which played a leading role in the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Blinken's statement marks the first time any United States official confirmed contact between the Biden administration and HTS, a group that has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States and other global powers.

The Syrian rebel group, which formerly operated as an affiliate of al-Qaeda, has been listed as a terrorist organization by the State Department since 2018.

assad us-syria relations hayat tahrir al-sham

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