Blinken: US in direct contact with “HTS”

AMMAN, Dec. 15 (YPA) – The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, said on Saturday that the United States had “direct” contact with “Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS),” which led the offensive that toppled the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Blinken added in a press conference in Jordan that “a joint statement was agreed upon that outlines the principles that the countries want to follow in the political transition in Syria, including inclusiveness and respect for minorities.”

He confirmed that the United States supports the new Syrian government’s principles of respecting Syrian rights, preventing Syria from becoming a terrorism hub, and ensuring humanitarian aid is delivered to the Syrian people, as agreed upon by concerned countries.

Blinken noted that these principles have now been embraced by countries across the region and beyond, which also sends a message to the new Syrian government.

YPA