Blinken confirms: We’ve been in contact with Syrian rebel group HTS

The United States has engaged in direct communication with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Syrian rebel group now holding de-facto control of the country, Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed on Saturday, according to CNN.

This marks the first public acknowledgment of direct contact with the group, which the US designated as a terrorist organization. The confirmation came at the conclusion of Blinken’s diplomatic mission through the region following the sudden collapse of President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime.

“Yes, we’ve been in contact with HTS and the other parties,” Blinken stated during a press conference in Aqaba, Jordan. He did not elaborate on the timing or level of the interactions, noting there is no legal restriction on engaging with a designated terrorist group.

“We have pressed upon everyone we’ve been in contact with the importance of helping find Austin Tice and bringing him home,” Blinken added, referring to the American journalist detained in Syria over a decade ago. Efforts to locate Tice have intensified following the Assad regime’s fall.

This past week, Blinken said the Biden administration is committed to recognizing and supporting a new Syrian government that rejects terrorism, eliminates chemical weapons stockpiles, and safeguards the rights of minorities and women.

At the time, he stated that the US would collaborate with groups in Syria and regional allies to ensure a smooth transition following the removal of Assad’s government.

While Blinken did not specify which groups the US would engage with, the State Department has left the door open for discussions with the primary Syrian rebel group, despite its designation as a terrorist organization.

The principles outlined by the Secretary of State were affirmed in a joint statement by the US and a coalition of nations during an urgent ministerial meeting in Aqaba. Blinken said the agreement “sends a unified message to the new interim authority and parties in Syria.”

Prior to the meeting, Blinken visited Jordan, Turkey, and Iraq to build consensus around these principles. “America and our partners have an important stake in helping the Syrian people chart this new path,” Blinken said Saturday, according to CNN. “We know what happens inside of Syria can have powerful consequences well beyond its borders — from mass displacement to terrorism.”

“We can’t underestimate the challenges of this moment and the weeks and months ahead,” he warned.