Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s White House meeting with President Donald Trump on Monday caps a stunning year for the rebel-turned-ruler who toppled a longtime autocratic leader and has since toured the world as he seeks to end Syria’s international isolation.

Trump is set to welcome Sharaa in the first-ever visit by a Syrian president to the White House, six months after the pair first met in Saudi Arabia and just days after Washington said the former al Qaeda member was no longer a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist.”

Sharaa, 42, took power last year after his Islamist fighters launched a lightning offensive from their enclave in Syria’s northwest and overthrew longtime Syrian President Bashar al-Assad just days later on Dec. 8.

Syria’s regional realignment has since moved at a dizzying pace, away from Assad’s key allies Iran and Russia and toward Turkey, the Gulf – and Washington.

Security is likely to be a top focus of the meeting on Monday.

The U.S. is brokering talks between Syria and Israel on a possible security pact, and Reuters reported that the U.S. is planning to establish a military presence at a Damascus airbase.

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Tagged: Middle East BACK TO HOMEPAGE