The U.S. government is concerned that Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa may be targeted for assassination because of his efforts to work with Western nations and create a more inclusive government.
Sharaa, former leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), led a rapid campaign in December that removed former President Bashar al-Assad. Many foreign fighters joined that effort. Now, those same fighters are being recruited by extremist groups like the Islamic State (IS), raising concerns about internal threats.
IS, which lost its territory in 2019 due to a U.S.-led coalition’s military campaign, recently carried out its first attack on the new Syrian forces and called Sharaa a traitor.
Thomas Barrack, the U.S. special envoy for Syria and ambassador to Turkey, told Al-Monitor that the threats from disgruntled militant groups are increasing. “We need to coordinate a protection system around Sharaa,” Barrack said.
Barrack cautioned: “The longer it takes to bring economic relief to Syria, the more faction groups you’re going to have that are going to say, ‘This is our opportunity to disrupt.’”
Last month, President Donald Trump announced a major shift in U.S. policy by lifting all sanctions on Syria, following continued diplomatic engagement between the two nations.
Barrack said that there are no formal conditions tied to this move, there are clear “expectations,” including efforts to combat IS, crack down on Palestinian militants, and eventually join the Abraham Accords.
Since assuming the presidency, Sharaa has not only engaged with the U.S., but also taken steps to ease social restrictions in Idlib, welcomed Christian and Druze leaders, and promised to return confiscated properties.
He has also been working to unify Syria’s military. In March, Sharaa signed a deal with Kurdish-led forces to integrate them into the national army. As part of the deal, more than 400 prisoners were exchanged last week.
Barrack praised Syria’s recent efforts: “I really give these guys a lot of credit for harnessing the resources that they have and keeping their composure at a time where everybody else’s initiative is to try and institute fires that will be attributed to them,” he said.
