The US is set to imminently announce an easing of restrictions on providing humanitarian aid and other basic services such as electricity to Syria while still keeping its strict sanctions regime in place, according to people briefed on the matter.
The decision by the outgoing Biden administration will send a signal of goodwill to Syria's new Islamist rulers and aims to pave the way for improving tough living conditions in the war-ravaged country while also treading cautiously and keeping US leverage in place.
US officials have met several times with members of the ruling administration, led by former al-Qaeda affiliate Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), since the dramatic end on December 8, 2024 of more than 50 years of Assad family rule after a lightning rebel offensive.
HTS, the faction that led the advance, has long since renounced its former al-Qaeda ties and fought the group, but they remain designated a terrorist entity by the US, and Washington wants to see them cooperate on priorities such as counterterrorism and forming a government inclusive of all Syrians.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the Biden administration approved the easing of restrictions over the weekend, saying the move authorizes the Treasury Department to issue waivers to aid groups and companies providing essentials such as water, electricity, and other humanitarian supplies.
Coincides with HTS-US discussions on IDF operations
This follows Syria’s new de-facto leader, HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Julani, urging the US to exert pressure on Israel to retreat from the buffer zone in Syria, including the Syrian part of Mount Hermon, according to a Friday report by Kan 11.
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report