Two members of the U.S. Congress arrived in Damascus on Friday to engage with Syrian officials, marking the first visit by American lawmakers to the war-torn nation since Bashar al-Assad was removed from power by an Islamist-led insurgency in December.
The visiting representatives are Cory Mills from Florida, who is a member of the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees, and Marlin Stutzman from Indiana. Both belong to the Republican Party of President Donald Trump.
Mills had a meeting with the newly appointed Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Friday evening, according to a member of the delegation. Their discussion focused on U.S. sanctions and Iran during a 90-minute conversation.
The source indicated that Stutzman was scheduled to meet with Sharaa on Saturday, who remains under U.S. and UN sanctions due to his past connections with al Qaeda.
When questioned about engaging with a leader still facing U.S. sanctions, Stutzman referenced instances of the Trump administration’s interactions with leaders from Iran and North Korea.
“We shouldn’t be afraid to talk to anybody,” he stated, expressing his interest in understanding how Syria plans to manage foreign fighters and govern its diverse population inclusively.
The new Islamist-led government in Syria has advocated for the U.S. and Europe to completely lift sanctions to revive an economy that has suffered for over a decade due to conflict.
Mills and Stutzman visited areas of the Syrian capital that have been devastated by war, met with Christian religious leaders, and intend to engage with additional Syrian government ministers.
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“There’s an opportunity here – these opportunities come around once in a lifetime,” Stutzman told Reuters. “I don’t want Syria pushed into the arms of China, or back into the arms of Russia and Iran.”
Last month, the U.S. provided Syria with a list of conditions for partial sanctions relief, which includes the removal of foreign fighters from leadership positions, but the Trump administration has largely refrained from engaging with the new leadership.
The congressmen’s trip was facilitated by the Syrian American Alliance for Peace and Prosperity.
