The UN Security Council has lifted sanctions on Syrian Interim President Ahmad al-Chareh ahead of his historic visit to the White House, expected to be made on 10 November.
The resolution was prepared by the United States and passed with 14 votes in favour and one abstention by China. It removes Ahmad al-Chareh and Interior Minister Anas Khattab from a sanctions list targeting individuals and groups linked to ISIS and Al-Qaeda.
The sanctions included a travel ban, asset freeze, and arms embargo, measures aimed at countering connections to terrorist organisations.
The resolution acknowledges Syria’s new authorities and their commitment to combating terrorism, including foreign fighters, Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and associated groups.
US Ambassador Mike Waltz hailed the decision as a strong political message recognising that Syria is entering a new era.
However, China abstained, expressing concerns through its ambassador Fu Cong about foreign terrorist fighters potentially exploiting Syria’s fragile security environment.
Ahmad al-Chareh’s forces, which included Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group he previously headed and later dissolved, toppled former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
Al-Chareh had been listed on the UN sanctions list since 2013 due to his leadership of HTS, which stemmed from Al-Nusra Front, Al-Qaeda’s former affiliate in Syria.
The group severed its ties with Al-Qaeda in 2016, in a bid to soften its global image.
