Interim President of Syria Ahmed al-Sharaa visited Paris yesterday for talks with President Emmanuel Macron, which is his first trip to Europe since taking office in January and a possible opening of broader ties with Western countries.
Al-Sharaa took power after his Islamist group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched a lightning offensive in which longtime former President Bashar al-Assad was overthrown in December.
Al-Assad, a member of Syria’s Alawite minority, ruled for more than two decades and fled to Russia after being removed from power.
The Elysee Palace stated that Macron will once again express France’s support for “a free, stable, sovereign Syria that respects all components of its society,” while also emphasizing the importance of regional stability and the fight against terrorism.
The visit comes amid renewed sectarian bloodshed, which followed a week after clashes between forces loyal to al-Sharaa and fighters from the Druze minority sect in which nearly 100 people were killed.
Nearly half a million people have been killed in the 14-year civil war and millions have been displaced. Syria’s infrastructure lies in ruins, and international sanctions remain a major obstacle to reconstruction.
The visit to Paris is being closely watched as a potential test of Europe’s willingness to engage with Syria’s new leadership.
