US President Donald Trump has announced  that he would lift sanctions on Syria at the request of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, marking a significant boost for interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa as he works to stabilise the war-torn nation.

The unexpected announcement was made during Trump’s regional tour, which began in Saudi Arabia. The White House indicated that Trump would meet Sharaa during his Saudi visit, suggesting a planned encounter between the president and the former al-Qaeda commander, who spent five years imprisoned by the US in Iraq. The meeting is expected to take place on Wednesday.

According to two Syrian presidency sources, Sharaa is set to travel to Riyadh to meet Trump. The US had imposed stringent sanctions on Syria during the rule of Bashar al-Assad and maintained them after Assad’s removal from power in December, which ended over 13 years of conflict. Saudi Arabia has been vocal in calling for the sanctions to be lifted.

Speaking at an investment forum in Riyadh, Trump declared the removal of all sanctions, stating that while they had previously served an important purpose, it was now time for Syria to progress.

 “I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria to give them a chance at greatness,” Trump said. “It’s their time to shine. We’re taking them all off. Good luck, Syria, show us something very special.”

Sharaa, once the leader of al-Qaeda’s official wing in Syria, severed ties with the global jihadist network in 2016. His group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, formally disbanded in January and remains designated a terrorist organisation by both the United States and the United Nations.

Boluwatife Enome

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