Two Republican U.S. Congress members recently visited Damascus, Syria on an unofficial trip organized by a Syrian-American nonprofit. This marks the first visit by U.S. legislators since the fall of former Syrian President Bashar Assad in December. The Congress members, Rep. Marlin Stutzman and Rep. Cory Mills, toured sites in Damascus, including a historic synagogue and a Christian neighborhood where they met religious leaders. They also planned to meet with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and other government officials.
The U.S. has not officially recognized the current Syrian government led by al-Sharaa and has maintained sanctions imposed during Assad’s rule. Mills, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, emphasized the importance of visiting Syria to assess the needs of the Syrian people and the nation’s stability. Discussions with al-Sharaa were expected to include the issue of sanctions and the transition towards a democratically elected society.
The congressional visit was organized by the Syrian American Alliance for Peace and Prosperity, aimed at fostering partnerships between Syria and the U.S. The U.S. State Department issued a warning against American citizens visiting Syria due to credible information about potential imminent attacks.
In a separate development, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas visited Syria for the first time since Assad’s fall to discuss regional developments and strengthen Palestinian-Syrian relations. The two leaders discussed the war in Gaza and efforts to reach a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Palestinian refugees in Syria historically had rights similar to citizens, with some restrictions. Syria does not have diplomatic relations with Israel, leading to tensions and Israeli military actions in Syrian territory.
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