The United States and Syria are set to formally announce a new phase of cooperation in the campaign against the Islamic State group after a historic meeting at the White House on Monday.
In what White House officials described as a major policy shift, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa became the first Syrian head of state to visit the presidential residence, signaling a deeper alignment between Washington and Damascus in counterterrorism operations.
Unnamed White House officials told The Wall Street Journal that in the meeting, Syria agreed to formally join the U.S.-led military campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, also known as ISIS.
The agreement places Syria under the umbrella of the U.S.-led coalition that has for years sought to degrade and ultimately defeat the Islamic State group.
U.S. officials framed the cooperation as a reversal of Syrian policy under former President Bashar Assad, whose government had been widely viewed as a destabilizing actor in the region.
Sharaa's visit comes after anti-Assad forces toppled the previous regime last December.
With Damascus now led by Sharaa's rebel coalition, U.S. officials said the shift opens a path for Syria to join the coalition formally and collaborate more closely with the U.S. Central Command, which oversees American forces in the broader Middle East.
Senior U.S. military commanders met with Sharaa's team ahead of Monday's announcement. In those briefings, the groundwork was laid for a joint framework to combat the Islamic State group, though details of implementation remain to be worked out.
Though diplomatic engagement is advancing, full normalization will take time. The two governments reaffirmed their intention to reopen embassies in each other's capitals, yet officials cautioned that restored embassies and fully staffed missions are still months away.
Relief from long-standing sanctions remains conditional. The U.S. has extended temporary sanctions relief, but a full repeal of legislation such as the Caesar Act depends on Syria's progress on minority rights, efforts to control militant groups, and engagement with regional neighbors, including Israel.
Domestically, the shift has prompted skepticism. Several U.S. senators voiced concern over Sharaa's credentials, citing reports of sectarian violence in areas controlled by his forces and the presence of foreign fighters.
Some regional allies also question how stable a government led by Sharaa might be and whether it can deliver genuine reform to protect minority populations.
Meanwhile, U.S. military officials said American troop deployments in Syria will not change immediately. While Syria assumes a partnership role, U.S. forces will remain in place as the new framework is negotiated and implemented.
As the campaign against the Islamic State group enters its next chapter, the partnership between Washington and Damascus represents one of the most significant geopolitical shifts in the region in recent years.
Both capitals described the agreement as a strategic opportunity, but analysts say the real test will be whether cooperation leads to reduced extremism, stabilized governance in Syria, and a durable alignment of interests between former adversaries.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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