U.S. and Syrian Transitional Govt give divergent statements after Damascus meeting

The U.S. statement emphasized combating ISIS and restructuring the armed forces, while the “Syrian Presidency” statement focused on political and military cooperation and enhancing stability, without mentioning ISIS.

The meeting in Damascus brought together U.S. Central Command Admiral Charles Bradley Cooper, U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack, and Transitional Government President Ahmad Al-Shara. Official statements following the meeting revealed differing emphases.

The U.S. Central Command statement stressed eliminating the ISIS threat and contributing to President Donald Trump’s vision of a prosperous Middle East and a stable, peaceful Syria. It also noted Washington’s commitment to continued cooperation with Damascus, including negotiations on integrating Syrian armed factions into the army.

The “Syrian Presidency” statement did not reference ISIS and instead highlighted prospects for cooperation in political and military fields, serving mutual interests and strengthening security and stability in Syria and the region.

Prior to this, on September 4, U.S. Central Command Chief Admiral Brad Cooper met with the Commander-in-Chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdi, during a visit to northern and eastern Syria. Sources reported that Admiral Cooper reaffirmed support for the SDF, ongoing joint counterterrorism efforts, and protection of camps and ISIS detention facilities.

Discussions also covered developments in dialogues with Damascus, during which Mazloum Abdi emphasized commitment to ongoing negotiations and the implementation of the March 10 agreement. He also stressed the need to encourage Damascus to continue action and take steps to build trust.

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ANHA