Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed direct U.S. contact with Syria’s Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) rebels, signaling a potential shift in U.S. policy toward Syria’s governance. Despite HTS’s terrorist designation, discussions focus on supporting Syria’s transition away from Bashar al-Assad’s rule.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Syria, calling on Arab nations to back a peaceful political transition following the end of the Assad family's five-decade rule. Blinken also revealed that the U.

The United States has had direct contact with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Syrian rebel group now in de-facto control of the country, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Saturday.