AhlulBayt News Agency: The United States has unexpectedly removed several senior diplomats focused on Syria amid a reported shift in its policy toward Damascus.
According to five informed sources cited by Reuters on Thursday, the dismissed diplomats were stationed at the Syria Regional Platform (SRP), the unofficial U.S. mission to Syria based in Istanbul, Turkey.
The sources—including a U.S. diplomatic insider, two Western diplomats, and two U.S.-based contacts—said the dismissals were abrupt, involuntary, and occurred late last week.
A U.S. diplomatic source described the move as part of a team reorganization, saying that “a handful” of SRP staff were informed their assignments were ending.
However, one Western diplomat suggested the dismissals were partly due to differing views between the diplomats and U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack, particularly regarding the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Abu Mohammed al-Jolani.
Barrack had previously encouraged the SDF to place its territories under Jolani’s leadership and integrate into the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)-led structure.
A U.S. State Department official declined to comment on personnel matters, stating only that core staff working on Syria-related issues continue to operate from various locations.
Meanwhile, Syria’s acting foreign minister, Asaad al-Shaibani, arrived in Washington on Thursday and was expected to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
/129
Your Comment