Syria’s president’s office on Friday denied that interim head of state Ahmed al-Shara has been cooperating with the international coalition against Islamic State since 2016, when he led the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) under the name Abu Mohammed al-Golani.
“We clarify that Al Shara is not coordinating or cooperating with any foreign entity in this regard and has not issued any instructions related to such cooperation. All decisions taken at that time were independent internal decisions and were taken without any coordination or request from foreign parties,” the news agency said in a statement reported by SANA news agency.
This clarification came after it was reported that Damascus had recently concluded a political agreement (so far without a military component) with the aforementioned US-led coalition, confirming its “role as a partner in the fight against terrorism and supporting regional stability.”
Mr al-Shara was welcomed at the White House by US President Donald Trump this week, making him the first Syrian leader to visit Washington since independence in 1946.
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