Washington Removes al-Shara from the List of Sanctions Imposed on Global Terrorists

SadaNews - The United States lifted the sanctions on Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara last night (Friday), just one day after the United Nations Security Council took a similar step in preparation for the anticipated meeting between him and U.S. President Donald Trump next week, according to Reuters.

According to a notice published on the U.S. Treasury Department's website, Washington removed the designation of "Specifically Designated Global Terrorists" (SDGT) from al-Shara and Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab.

The move to lift U.S. sanctions on al-Shara comes at a time when relations between Washington and Damascus are witnessing a notable shift after years of estrangement and strict economic sanctions imposed since the outbreak of the Syrian revolution in 2011.

Previous U.S. administrations had linked any easing of sanctions to progress in the political process and an end to violations against civilians. The upcoming meeting between al-Shara and Trump next week is viewed as the first direct contact at this level between the two countries in over a decade, potentially paving the way for reopening dialogue on regional security issues, the return of refugees, and the reconstruction of Syria post-war.