US revokes $10 million reward for new leader in Syria
Washington’s envoy stated that negotiating with an individual on a US terrorist wanted list would be “incoherent,” following a meeting in Damascus. For more details, read the full article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Washington’s envoy stated that negotiating with a person on the US wanted terrorist list would be “incoherent.”
The US will no longer provide a $10 million reward for information leading to the capture of Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa, known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani, following a meeting between a Washington delegation and the leadership of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in Damascus on Friday.
Earlier this month, Syrian opposition forces, led by HTS jihadists, launched a surprise offensive across the country, seizing several major cities, including the capital, Damascus. As a result, Syrian President Bashar Assad resigned and was granted asylum in Russia.
As part of a broader diplomatic “engagement” with the new Syrian leadership, Barbara Leaf, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, led the delegation to Syria on Friday. This marked the first visit by American diplomats since the closure of the US embassy in Damascus in 2012.
During her discussions with al-Sharaa, Leaf addressed several critical issues, including the importance of preventing terrorist groups from operating in Syria and ensuring the protection of minority and women's rights.
“We also discussed the critical need to ensure that terrorist groups cannot pose a threat inside Syria or externally, including to the US and our partners in the region,” Leaf stated during a telephone briefing from Jordan. “Based on our discussion, I informed him that we would not be pursuing the Rewards for Justice offer that has been in effect for some years.”
Despite this decision, HTS is still categorized as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States, and the associated sanctions remain in place. Leaf stressed that withdrawing the bounty represented a policy shift aimed at legitimizing engagement with the group.
“If I’m sitting with the HTS leader and having a lengthy, detailed discussion, it’s a little incoherent to have a bounty on his head,” she remarked. “Otherwise, I should ask the FBI to come in and arrest him or something.”
The US delegation also included Roger Carstens, the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, and Daniel Rubinstein, a senior adviser responsible for relations with the new Syrian forces. They discussed the fate of missing American journalist Austin Tice, who has been unaccounted for since 2012, among other topics.
This week, the US military disclosed that it had doubled its forces in Syria to approximately 2,000 troops before Assad's resignation, aiming to prevent Islamic State terrorists from taking advantage of the instability. The Pentagon conducted airstrikes in northeastern Syria on Thursday, claiming to have killed one leader of the terrorist group.
While the immediate reopening of the US embassy in Damascus is not currently planned, Leaf indicated that future diplomatic recognition would depend on the actions of the new Syrian authorities.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
The US will no longer provide a $10 million reward for information leading to the capture of Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa, known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani, following a meeting between a Washington delegation and the leadership of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in Damascus on Friday.
Earlier this month, Syrian opposition forces, led by HTS jihadists, launched a surprise offensive across the country, seizing several major cities, including the capital, Damascus. As a result, Syrian President Bashar Assad resigned and was granted asylum in Russia.
As part of a broader diplomatic “engagement” with the new Syrian leadership, Barbara Leaf, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, led the delegation to Syria on Friday. This marked the first visit by American diplomats since the closure of the US embassy in Damascus in 2012.
During her discussions with al-Sharaa, Leaf addressed several critical issues, including the importance of preventing terrorist groups from operating in Syria and ensuring the protection of minority and women's rights.
“We also discussed the critical need to ensure that terrorist groups cannot pose a threat inside Syria or externally, including to the US and our partners in the region,” Leaf stated during a telephone briefing from Jordan. “Based on our discussion, I informed him that we would not be pursuing the Rewards for Justice offer that has been in effect for some years.”
Despite this decision, HTS is still categorized as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States, and the associated sanctions remain in place. Leaf stressed that withdrawing the bounty represented a policy shift aimed at legitimizing engagement with the group.
“If I’m sitting with the HTS leader and having a lengthy, detailed discussion, it’s a little incoherent to have a bounty on his head,” she remarked. “Otherwise, I should ask the FBI to come in and arrest him or something.”
The US delegation also included Roger Carstens, the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, and Daniel Rubinstein, a senior adviser responsible for relations with the new Syrian forces. They discussed the fate of missing American journalist Austin Tice, who has been unaccounted for since 2012, among other topics.
This week, the US military disclosed that it had doubled its forces in Syria to approximately 2,000 troops before Assad's resignation, aiming to prevent Islamic State terrorists from taking advantage of the instability. The Pentagon conducted airstrikes in northeastern Syria on Thursday, claiming to have killed one leader of the terrorist group.
While the immediate reopening of the US embassy in Damascus is not currently planned, Leaf indicated that future diplomatic recognition would depend on the actions of the new Syrian authorities.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
